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What Makes the Lightspeed an “Organic” Overdrive

Greer Amps built the Greer Lightspeed Organic Overdrive for the player chasing a natural drive tone, and the “organic” name is the whole pitch. Instead of stamping its own voice on top of your sound, the pedal blends with the character of your guitar and amplifier, adding rich harmonics and a complex but smooth clipping that never feels processed.

It is unusually sensitive to pick attack, so it responds to your hands the way a great tube amp does. Dig in and it pushes harder; back off and it cleans up. At $249 and built to order by hand (though plenty of stock is usually available), it sits in boutique territory, and the Premier Guitar Premier Gear Award it picked up tells you the wider gear world agrees it earns the price. That’s all good and well, but I’m more interested in what the general guitarist thinks about it.

Why Everyone Calls It Transparent

People reach for the word transparent with this pedal for a specific reason: the note articulation and separation through it is unmatched, even when you crank up the gain. Most overdrives start to smear and compress as you add dirt, collapsing chords into a single blurry wall. The Lightspeed refuses to do that.

Strum a full chord with the gain pushed and every string keeps its own identity. Play intervals or partial voicings and you can still hear the individual notes breathing inside the drive. That clarity is what makes it sound less like an effect and more like a better version of the amp you already own.

Where the Lightspeed Really Shines: Low Gain, High Volume

For my money, the Lightspeed does its best work in low-gain, high-volume settings. Keep the drive down and push the level up, and it adds a unique boost element that is edgy and clean but sitting right on the doorstep of hot breakup.

It is the sound of an amp that is working hard without fully tipping over, and it gives rhythm parts a forward, three-dimensional shove that cuts through a band mix. If you mostly want presence, punch, and the feeling of a bigger amp rather than obvious distortion, this is the corner of the dial where the Lightspeed feels almost magic.

Controls, Power, and Build Quality

The feature set is refreshingly simple and built to last. Greer specs top-quality components, true-bypass switching, and a 5-year warranty to the original owner, which says a lot about how much they trust their own build.

• Power: 9 to 18 volts, negative center pin only, drawing just 11mA at 9 volts.
• Headroom option: running it at 18 volts opens up extra headroom and tightens the low end.
• Powering it: takes a 9-volt battery or a standard 2.1mm negative-center supply.
• Footprint: a standard enclosure at roughly 4.77″ x 2.6″ x 1.39″ – it tucks onto a crowded board. This the the tried-and-true size of JHS and many Walrus Audio pedals.

True Bypass and the 3PDT Switch

The Lightspeed uses traditional 3PDT true-bypass switching, the familiar hard-clicking footswitch that has anchored pedalboards for decades. I am deliberately working it into a rig built mainly around these hard-clicking switches, because there is a consistency to the feel and the audible click that I genuinely prefer underfoot.

True bypass also means the pedal is completely out of your signal path when it is off, with no tone-sucking and no buffer coloring your sound. For a drive this transparent, keeping the bypassed signal equally honest just makes sense.

A Plethora of Colorways to Choose From

One of the unexpected joys of shopping for a Lightspeed is the sheer number of finishes. Greer has partnered with many different shops over the years, each offering exclusive color combinations, so there is a genuine plethora of colorways out there. Mine is the Black and Charcoal version, which looks as understated and serious as the pedal sounds.

Find the colorway that suits you from a plethora of available color combos with the button below, and check current listings to see which shop-exclusive finishes are floating around.

Who’s Playing the Lightspeed

The Lightspeed has quietly become a touring-rig staple. Greer lists it on boards for players like Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow), Drew Shirley (Switchfoot), Alex Weeden (Miranda Lambert), Jordan Peters (Lauryn Hill), and plenty more working pros.

That kind of adoption matters because touring players need gear that is reliable, predictable night after night, and flattering across many different amps and rooms. A transparent, amp-like drive that gets out of the way is exactly the tool a pro reaches for, and it is a strong signal for the rest of us.

Is the Greer Lightspeed Worth It?

If you want an overdrive that respects your tone, preserves note clarity even at higher gain, and doubles as a gorgeous edge-of-breakup boost, the Greer Lightspeed Organic Overdrive is one of the easiest recommendations in the boutique drive world. It is the rare pedal that lives up to a reputation built almost entirely on word of mouth.

It is not the cheapest path to dirt, and players who want aggressive, saturated distortion should look elsewhere. But for natural, transparent, hands-responsive drive, the Lightspeed earns its spot on the board and tends to stay there.

The guitar-related post Greer Lightspeed Review: Truly Transparent & Organic Overdrive is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

Why String Gauge Matters More Than You Think

String gauge is simply the thickness of your strings, measured in thousandths of an inch and usually named by the high E. A “09-42” set runs a .009 high E up to a .042 low E, while an “08-38” set drops everything a step lighter. That small change in diameter has an outsized effect on tension, and tension is what your hands actually fight against every time you play.

Important Note: Some people call 9-42 light and 8-38 super light. However, in the case of D’Addario NYXL 09-42 are considered super light strings, and 08-38 are considered extra super light electric guitar strings. Yes, this can be confusing, so go by the numbers when possible.

Thinner strings sit at lower tension for the same tuning and scale length. Lower tension means less force to push a string to the fret, less force to bend it, and less fatigue over a long session. For a lot of players, that difference is the gap between a guitar that feels like work and one that feels like an extension of your hands.

Less Pressure to Fret Notes and Bar Chords

The most immediate benefit of lighter strings is how little pressure it takes to fret a clean note. Thicker strings demand more downward force to seat against the fret, and that adds up fast across a three-hour practice session or a full gig.

Bar chords are where this really shows. Holding down all six strings with one finger is a strength-and-stamina exercise, and lighter strings shrink the effort required to get every note ringing. If you’re a newer player whose hand cramps up on an F bar chord, or a seasoned player who just wants to last longer before fatigue sets in, dropping a gauge is one of the simplest fixes available.

It also helps anyone dealing with hand strain. Less required grip strength means less stress on the fingers, wrist, and forearm, which can keep you playing comfortably for longer.

Bending Notes Becomes Effortless

If you love expressive lead playing, this is the headline. Bends are pure tension management, and lighter strings make them dramatically easier to execute and control.

On a heavier set, a full-step bend can be a real workout, especially up high on the wound strings. Drop to 08-38 and those same bends take noticeably less effort, which means cleaner pitch, wider vibrato, and the confidence to reach for those big bluesy bends you might normally avoid. Over-bends of a step and a half suddenly feel realistic instead of punishing.

Better control follows naturally. When you aren’t straining to move the string, it’s far easier to land on pitch and add the kind of singing vibrato that defines great lead tone.

A Faster, More Comfortable Feel for Lead Playing

Beyond bending, lighter strings simply feel quicker under the fingers. Legato runs, fast pull-offs, and rapid position shifts all benefit from the reduced resistance.

That low-friction feel is exactly why so many lead-focused and shred players gravitate toward thinner gauges. Less fatigue and lower tension let you play longer and looser, which tends to make technique feel more fluid. It won’t magically make you faster, but it does remove a layer of physical resistance between your idea and the note.

Why 08-38 Is the Natural Step Down From 09-42

Here’s the practical part. A huge number of guitars built on the 25.5″ scale length, including the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster, ship from the factory with 09-42 strings. That set has become the de facto standard, and it’s what most players think of as “normal.”

The set directly below it in thickness is 08-38. It’s not a wild leap into ultra-thin territory; it’s the very next rung down the ladder. Every string is a touch lighter, the overall tension drops a meaningful amount, and the guitar you already know suddenly feels easier to play without changing anything else about it.

That makes 08-38 the obvious experiment for anyone curious about going lighter. You keep your standard tuning, you keep your scale length, and you get the benefits of reduced tension with the smallest possible change from what you’re used to.

What Players Like Rick Beato Say About Light Strings

Light gauge strings have plenty of high-profile advocates. Rick Beato, the producer and educator behind one of the most-watched guitar channels online, has openly championed thinner strings, including a well-known video comparing 8s, 9s, and 10s in which he makes the case for the feel and even the tone of lighter sets.

He’s far from alone. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top is famously associated with extremely light strings, and countless studio and lead players quietly run thinner gauges than their fans assume. The takeaway isn’t that everyone should switch, but that light strings are a legitimate, professional-grade choice, not a beginner’s crutch.

The Trade-Offs Worth Knowing

Lighter strings aren’t free of compromise, and it’s only fair to lay out the other side before you switch.

• Less low-end thump. Thinner strings move less air, so you may notice a slightly thinner low end and reduced output compared with heavier sets.
• They can feel loose. Players with an aggressive pick attack sometimes find light strings feel floppy or go sharp when they dig in hard.
• More prone to buzz. Lower tension and lower action together can introduce fret buzz if your setup isn’t dialed in.
• Not ideal for low tunings. If you tune down to drop C or lower, an 08-38 set will likely feel too slack and lose definition.

None of these are deal-breakers for standard-tuning players, but they’re worth weighing against the comfort gains.

Getting Your Guitar Set Up for Lighter Strings

Changing gauge changes the tension your neck and bridge are balanced for, so a fresh set of 08-38 strings deserves a quick setup to play its best.

• Truss rod. Less string tension means less forward pull on the neck, so the relief may need a small adjustment.
• Intonation. Thinner strings can shift where each saddle needs to sit, so recheck tuning at the 12th fret.
• Tremolo balance. On a floating Strat-style bridge, lighter strings reduce pull, so the spring tension may need rebalancing to sit level.
• Nut slots. Going much lighter can occasionally cause minor slippage in nut slots cut for thicker strings, though stepping from 09 to 08 is usually fine.

If you’re not comfortable doing this yourself, a basic tech setup after the gauge change is money well spent.

Where to Buy

This article contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, SixStringSensei may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only point you toward gear I’d be comfortable recommending to a friend.

If you want to try going lighter, a strong choice is the D’Addario NYXL0838 Extra Super Light set, which lays out exactly as an 08-38: a .008, .010, and .015 on the plain strings and .021, .030, and .038 on the wound strings. It’s D’Addario’s lightest standard six-string combination, built for the lowest tension and the easiest possible feel.

The NYXL line is a sensible place to go light because the same thinness that helps your hands can otherwise hurt tuning stability. D’Addario builds these around a high-carbon NY Steel core and a fusion-twist process the company says delivers greater break strength and meaningfully better tuning stability than traditional strings, which helps offset the usual downsides of a very light set. For a standard-tuned 25.5″ Strat or Tele, it’s an easy, low-commitment way to feel the difference for yourself.

Final Thoughts

Light gauge strings are one of the rare upgrades that cost very little yet change how your guitar plays every single time you pick it up. Easier fretting, easier bends, and a faster overall feel are a lot to gain from a single string change.

If you’re already on 09-42, an 08-38 set is the most logical next step to test the waters, no new guitar and no new tuning required. Give it a few days, set the guitar up properly, and let your hands tell you whether lighter is the way to go.

While you might not need locking tuners for extra light gauge guitar strings regarding tuning stability, they do help make string changes quick. Check out my article:
Are Locking Tuners Better Than Standard Tuners?

The guitar-related post Benefits of Extra Super Light Gauge Electric Guitar Strings (Why 08-38 Is Worth a Try) is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

Big box delays tend to fall into two camps. Some chase the most extreme, otherworldly sounds they can muster, while others focus on doing classic delay tones beautifully. The Echosystem leans toward the second camp, and that is a big part of why I love it. It feels familiar in the best way, yet it hides a surprising amount of depth under the hood.

A More Traditional Voice Than the Competition

What draws me to the Echosystem is how natural it sounds. Compared to something like a Strymon Timeline, I think it has a more inspiring voice, and compared to the Meris LVX it stays grounded in the kind of delays most of us already know and love. The LVX is brilliant, but it can get pretty wacky, surreal, and out there. The Echosystem, by contrast, gives you delays you are familiar with and makes them sound gorgeous. Under the hood there is real horsepower too, with more than 36 algorithms spanning digital, tape, analog, multi tap, reverse, ambient, and even reverb modes, all running at 48kHz sampling with 24 bit conversion and 32 bit internal processing.

Dual Engines and the Output Transformer

The heart of the Echosystem is its dual engine design. You can run any two delays at once and route them in parallel, in series, or split them left and right, which is where a lot of the magic lives. That said, even though it is a cool feature, it’s one of the things I used the least. For guitarists that do a lot of ambient playing, this feature is way more valuable than it is to me.

I also really like that it has an output transformer. One of the outputs can be optionally isolated so you can lift the ground and avoid nasty ground loops when running into two amps. In my own rig I usually put a reverb pedal after it, so I have not been able to lean on that feature much. However, I have tried it and it works.

Here’s an Instagram video where I demonstrate how this works:

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A post shared by Danny Cruz (@dannycruzcreations)

If you own the Empress Reverb with its own output transformer, that isolation tends to be a lot more useful there, since the reverb usually sits last in the chain.

Powerful, but a Little Confusing

As great as this delay sounds, and as feature packed as it is, it can be a little confusing to use. Compared to a Timeline, an LVX, or an Eventide H9, the Echosystem has no screen, so you are constantly trying to read what each of the LEDs is telling you. That gets especially tricky when you are running in dual delay engine mode and tracking two engines at once. Overall the controls are definitely more confusing than other big box delays. The flip side is that if you are in the mood to experiment, you are in for a treat, and you can absolutely come up with some amazing delay sounds.

Footprint, Connectivity, and Extras

I really like the footprint and the shape of the pedal. My one small gripe is that the outputs sit a little close together, so certain patch cables do not seat as nicely as I would like. For example, the popular Squareplug SP500 is too wide to sit side by side in the outputs if you need all 4. Fine if you’re running mono though. You’ll need the Squareplug SPS5 straight plugs, or other straight plugs if you want to use all 4 outputs. There are some other smaller angled plugs than the SP500, I just don’t have experience with them.

It has MIDI, though some players consider the implementation a touch limited. Even so, I appreciate the feature set, including a built in looper and an SD card slot that handles both looping and firmware updates. The Universal Control Port is a nice touch as well, letting you connect an expression pedal, an external tap switch, control voltage, or MIDI through a single standard quarter inch jack.

A Studio Favorite More Than a Live Pedal

Even though it works just fine on a live stage, and players like Joey Landreth use it live, I feel a lot more comfortable with the Echosystem in the studio or at home. Its complexity can give you a bit of analysis paralysis when you are trying to dial things in under pressure. For live use I tend to reach for something much simpler, and save the Echosystem for the moments when I have time to dig in and explore.

Pairs Beautifully With the Empress Reverb

The Echosystem goes very well with the Empress Reverb, and of course you can combine it with any other delay you like. Beyond the sound, there is something satisfying about having matching shaped boxes sitting together on the same pedalboard. It is a small thing, but it makes the whole rig feel intentional.

To Conclude

The Empress Echosystem is a deep, inspiring, and genuinely musical big box delay that rewards patience. It trades the convenience of a screen for a hands on, LED driven workflow that takes some getting used to, but the payoff is a delay that sounds better to me than most of its rivals and keeps surprising me with new sounds. If you want a delay that does the classics beautifully while still leaving room to experiment, and you do not mind a bit of a learning curve, the Echosystem is very hard to beat, especially with an Empress Reverb sitting right next to it.

Since you’re on the topic of big box delay pedals, you may want to check out my article on Why I Sold My Meris LVX.

The guitar-related post Empress Echosystem Delay Review: Potent, Quirky, and Still Worth It is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

Years later the hype has cooled and plenty of players have moved on, which is a shame because the pedal is genuinely great. This is why I still love mine, and why now might be the best time to grab one.

A Quick Word on the Golden Boy Hype

When the Golden Boy first dropped, the buzz was hard to miss. Designed in collaboration with Joey Landreth, it was pitched as a transparent overdrive, and word spread fast that one of its clipping voices supposedly emulated the Analogman King of Tone, with other modes said to land in the neighborhood of classics like the Ibanez Tube Screamer. Whether or not you buy every one of those comparisons, the marketing did its job. People wanted in. It also helped that this was a properly feature packed pedal, offering multiple gain structures, a dedicated boost, and MIDI control, which was still fairly novel for an overdrive at the time.

My Two Golden Boys

I ordered one of the earlier units in gold, and I have been very pleased with it for years now. At one point I also ordered a custom black version with white text. Funny story there. When I placed that order, the guy at Jackson Audio went and made it, then accidentally sent me a black on black version instead, which you can see in the photos. I sent that one back since what I really wanted was the black with white text. I still have both the gold one and the black and white one, and they have earned their keep.

The MOSFET Boost Steals the Show

I honestly think the Golden Boy is a great overdrive, but my favorite part of it is actually the MOSFET boost. To my ears it is one of the most beautiful sounding boosts out there. I often kick it on just to bolden up clean parts, especially on guitars with single coils when I am playing through the neck pickup. It warms everything up in a way that is hard to stop using once you hear it. For me that boost alone justifies keeping the pedal on the board.

The boost on the Golden Boy is so good that I often find myself trying to get as close as I can to it, with other pedals, when I don’t have my Golden Boy nearby. I’ve gotten pretty close with the Kernom Ridge. However, even pedals like the well-respected Empress ParaEQ MKII Deluxe, which has a very popular dedicated boost, lacks the warmth found in the boost of the Golden Boy.

The Honest Pros and Cons

Let me be frank about the trade offs. The MIDI implementation is on the limited side, but that has never bothered me, because I set up my presets in my Morningstar MIDI controllers and I do not need the pedal itself to store them. It sounds great, the boost is gorgeous, and the feature set covers what I actually use. My one real criticism, which I have mentioned in another article, is that many Jackson Audio pedals have a slight delay when you hit the switch and the pedal engages. That is because it is designed to come on at the up movement of the foot switch. It is by design, since that is the only way the dual footswitch gain staging can work, but it does take a moment to get used to. It’s fine most of the time, but not good when you need an immediate change from clean to overdrive with no audio dropout. Interestingly, switching via MIDI is much faster and brings that audio dropout to almost nothing – Very close to how many Chase Bliss pedals switch on.

The bigger picture is the overdrive chase itself. We guitarists are always hunting the next best drive, so a lot of guys simply sold their Golden Boys and moved on to whatever came next. It is too bad, because the pedal is excellent, and while many of the newer overdrives are genuinely awesome, the constant chase is often a substitute for actually practicing. The upside for the rest of us is that all that turnover means you can find a Golden Boy used on places like Reverb for very reasonable money. One thing to watch for is the printing, since some units show the text wearing off. Look carefully and you will find plenty with perfect print, so hold out for one of those.

Conclusion

The Jackson Audio Golden Boy is one of those pedals that got swept up in hype, lived through the inevitable backlash, and came out the other side still being a fantastic overdrive. Between the four clipping voices, the flexible gain staging, and that gorgeous MOSFET boost, there is a lot of pedal here for the money, especially now. If you passed on it during the frenzy or sold yours chasing something shinier, the used market is quietly giving you a second chance. I am keeping both of mine.

If you like MIDI pedals, you might want to check out my: List of Overdrive Pedals with MIDI Control.

The guitar-related post Jackson Audio Golden Boy Hype: Is It Still Worth It? is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

I bought my first Telecaster well before I ever owned a Strat, and over the years it grew from a single cheap import into a small collection of instruments I genuinely love. This is the story of how I got here and why the Telecaster keeps earning its spot no matter what else is on the wall.

It Started Before the Strat

Even though my initial draw to the guitar came from a Gibson, I was always fascinated by the Telecaster. I got to one before I ever bought a Stratocaster. My first was a black made in Mexico Telecaster from around 2004, and to be honest it was not very good. I tried to make it my own by modifying it, including dropping a narrow humbucking pickup (Hot Rails or something) into the bridge position, mostly because my main goal at the time was playing punk rock. It was not the guitar that made me a Telecaster believer, but it planted the seed.

A Few Facts About the Fender Telecaster

For a little context to go with the infographic, the Telecaster holds a real place in history as the first solid body electric guitar to be mass produced and widely adopted by working musicians. Leo Fender and George Fullerton developed it in Southern California, and it reached full production in late 1950. It did not arrive with the Telecaster name attached, though. The two pickup model was first called the Broadcaster, but Gretsch already sold a drum kit under the similar Broadkaster name and sent a cease and desist to Fender. For a brief window Fender shipped guitars with no model name on the headstock at all, instruments collectors now affectionately call Nocasters, before the Telecaster name was settled on in 1951 to ride the rising wave of television.

The design was radical in its simplicity and it has barely needed to change. A bolt on neck, a flat slab body, two single coil pickups, and a three position selector switch gave players a bright, cutting voice that recorded beautifully and cut through any band. That straightforward formula is exactly why the Telecaster has shown up on so many records across country, rock, blues, pop, soul, and just about everything else for more than seventy years.

Some bold players in heavy genres like punk and metal are well known for playing Teles. Guys like El Hefe from NOFX and John 5 – Though I believe both these guys put humbuckers in them, or in the case of John 5, a full size humbucker.

From One Telecaster to a Collection

I eventually sold that first one and moved through a bunch of other guitars, including some Strats. At some point I bought an American Telecaster, and that is really where the collecting started. I ended up with a couple of American Professional II Telecasters, which are honestly my favorites of the bunch. One of them is in that stunning Dark Knight color. Before that one I had picked up an American Professional II in Butterscotch Blonde with a maple fretboard, which is about as classic a Telecaster look as it gets.

From there I got curious about the American Ultra series, the first version with the binding running around the body, and I landed on a Mocha Burst that I really like. Eventually a Texas Tea joined the family too. Those Ultra guitars do not sound vintage, and that is fine by me, because they are incredibly versatile. Some players are not fans of the noiseless pickups, but even without that old school voice I think they are great. And since I already have the American Professional II models, which still feel modern but lean more traditional in their Telecaster tone, I feel very well covered across the range.

I do have to add the Telecaster Deluxe. One of my favorites when I need more weight for distortion is the Chris Shiflett Telecaster Deluxe. I love the jumbo frets on that, as well as the flatter fretboard 12-inch radius. I full modded that one though. And lastly, I’m busy building a high end partscaster Tele Deluxe using an MIA mahogany crimson red body and a full rosewood Warmoth Tele Deluxe large 70s headstock neck with stainless steel frets.

Why I Still Reach for a Strat Sometimes

Here is the thing. I think a lot of guitarists who play Telecasters are hardcore Telecaster people who almost always play that and nothing else. Then there is a guy like me who jumps between Teles, Strats, and others. I find that for certain sounds I can only get there with a Stratocaster, especially in those in between positions where you blend the neck and middle or the middle and bridge pickups. That sound is just plain funky, and nothing else quite nails it.

That said, when I want more simplicity and a punchy bridge position, I always gravitate back to a Telecaster. A big part of that is honest preference, because I am not a fan of the single coil bridge pickup on a Strat. The Telecaster bridge just hits the way I want it to.

Conclusion

To wrap this up, I think the main reasons I love the Telecaster so much are basically the same reasons everyone who loves this guitar loves it too. They are simple and well balanced, they stay in tune, and they do not bury you in complicated controls. You get a punchy bridge pickup paired with an awesome and very warm neck pickup, and the whole package turns out to be remarkably versatile across just about any kind of music. My first cheap import did not convince me, but everything since has. The Telecaster is not going anywhere in my collection.

Sources for the facts: Fender Telecaster (Wikipedia), Guitar World: The Telecaster at 75, True Vintage Guitar: Broadcaster 1950–1951.

The guitar-related post My Fender Telecaster Collection: Why I Keep Coming Back is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

The LVX is coming back, and this is the story of why it left and why it has to return.

I’m a Delay Aficionado

I consider myself a delay person first and foremost. I own more big box delay pedals than I do distortion pedals, which probably tells you everything you need to know about where my priorities sit. I appreciate a great reverb too, and I keep a Strymon BigSky around for exactly that reason, but I always gravitate back toward delay. I sprinkle a little reverb into just about everything I play, yet delay is the effect I actually build around. So when I tell you the Meris LVX is special, understand that it is coming from someone who has played a lot of them.

Why I Sold the Meris LVX

The sale had nothing to do with the pedal and everything to do with timing. I was in the middle of a house remodel project and I needed more cash flow to get ready for everything that came with it. The LVX was not the only casualty either. I sold my Meris Mercury X and a handful of other pedals in the same stretch, including a Meris Polymoon that went out the door during that same selling spree. When you are funding a remodel, even the pedals you love start looking like line items. The LVX was worth good money, it sold quickly, and it helped me get where I needed to be.

What Makes the LVX So Inspirational

Meris calls the LVX a modular delay system rather than a delay pedal, and that framing is accurate. Instead of locking you into a fixed set of delay types, it lets you build the delay from the ground up. You get up to 2.54 seconds of dual delay and 26 processing elements you can insert at different points in the signal chain, grouped into modules like preamp, dynamics, filter, and modulation. The delay structures cover Standard, MultiTap, Multi Filter, Poly, Reverse, and Series, and the Poly structure is essentially the Meris Polymoon living inside the LVX. On top of that you choose your delay character from digital, BBD analog bucket brigade, or Magnetic tape style with saturation, degradation, and wow and flutter baked in.

The thing that keeps me coming back is how far down the rabbit hole goes. The LVX inherits algorithms from other Meris pedals such as the Hedra, Polymoon, Enzo, and Ottobit Jr., then adds new ones like Granularize, Cassette, and Poly Pitch. There is a 60 second stereo looper built in, 99 preset locations, full MIDI implementation, and assignable expression control. The whole thing runs on 24 bit conversion with 32 bit floating point processing internally, and you steer all of it with seven knobs clustered around a high resolution color screen. It is a lot. That is the point.

The LVX Versus the Strymon Timeline

People always want the comparison, so here it is. I think the LVX is better than the Strymon Timeline, full stop, though it is a bit more complicated to live with. The Timeline is fast, dependable, and easy to navigate, which is exactly why it earned its reputation. The LVX asks more of you up front, but it gives back delay soundscapes that simply are not possible on the Timeline or most other pedals. They are not really competing for the same job. One is a workhorse and the other is a laboratory.

That difference is why both still have a place for me. My Strymon Timeline lives on its own already built board, ready to go whenever I want something straightforward to work with. Not to mention, it sits before my BigSky and after my Mobius. I’m not willing to break the Stryfecta. There are absolutely days when I want to plug in and play without diving into deep menus. But when I feel like building a delay texture from scratch and chasing a sound nothing else can make, the LVX is the perfect tool. The two pedals answer two completely different moods.

Why It Is Coming Back

I fully expect to buy the LVX again. The plan is to bring it back as part of a dedicated studio build, where the deep settings and sound design potential matter most and where I have the time to actually use them. And if I could get my hands on a special release black version, I would do it in a heartbeat. A black LVX would be the ideal excuse to make the return official. Selling it was the right call for that moment, but the LVX is not a pedal you walk away from for good.

Conclusion

Selling the Meris LVX taught me what I already suspected, which is that some pedals are easy to part with and some leave a hole. The LVX is firmly in the second group. It is one of the most inspiring delay tools ever made, it outclasses the Strymon Timeline for the kind of deep sound design I love, and it earns a permanent spot in my future studio plans. The remodel needed the cash and the pedal delivered, but this was never goodbye. It was just see you soon, ideally in black.

What you probably weren’t expecting is that Meris LVX isn’t actually my favorite delay pedal. It’s actually the Strymon Volante. Yes, I like that one the best for different reasons. I have a story about that: My Favorite Delay Pedal Ever!

The guitar-related post Why I Sold My Meris LVX Delay Pedal is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

For a long time, buying a guitar pedal meant accepting whatever color the manufacturer had decided on. There was no conversation about it. The MXR Phase 90 was orange. The Boss SD-1 was yellow. The Eventide H9 was white. That was that. But at some point — and it’s hard to pin down exactly when — players started responding to limited colorways with genuine excitement, and manufacturers started paying attention. What followed was a trend that reshaped how pedals get marketed, re-released, and ultimately collected.

The Colorway as a Sales Strategy

The playbook became familiar: release a pedal in its standard color, let it run for a year or two, then drop a special edition in black for Black Friday, or in some unexpected hue tied to a retailer partnership or seasonal campaign. It was a way to revive interest in an existing product without redesigning it. And it worked. Players who already owned the pedal would sometimes buy the new color just to have it. Players on the fence would be nudged off it by the novelty. And a subset of buyers — the collectors — would snap up limited runs knowing they might not come back around.

The collectible angle turned out to be significant. A pedal that trades on the used market at one price in its standard color can command a meaningfully higher price in a limited colorway, especially if that run was small and is no longer available. The Meris Mercury 7 is a good example. It’s a beautiful pedal in its standard blue finish. But Meris at one point issued a black version and didn’t bring it back. That black Mercury 7 now trades for noticeably more on Reverb and eBay than its blue counterpart. The pedal is functionally identical. The color is the whole story.

The Eventide H9: A Case Study in Colorway Evolution

Few pedal lines tell this story as clearly as the Eventide H9 series, because you can watch the strategy evolve in real time across three distinct product generations.

The original H9 launched in white and stayed white for a long time. That’s not unusual for a pedal of its era — a single color, a single identity, a long run. Eventide eventually broke from that pattern with some noteworthy limited editions: a red version produced exclusively for GearHero in Florida (I own two of those, both still on my board), a blue version, and a black version that proved popular enough to see multiple batches. The black H9, in particular, had real staying power — it sold well and kept coming back. But all of this happened over years. The colorway expansion was gradual, almost cautious.

Then came the H90. Eventide’s flagship dual-algorithm pedal launched in the familiar white, continuing the visual language of the H9 line. But the black version of the H90 arrived considerably sooner than it had with the original H9. The timeline had compressed. Whether that reflects a deliberate strategic shift or simply Eventide responding to a market that now expects and anticipates limited colorways is an open question — but the acceleration was noticeable.

The H9 Gen 2: Black From Day One

Which brings us to where things stand now. When Eventide announced the H9 Harmonizer Gen 2, it launched in black. Not as a follow-up colorway. Not as a limited edition drop a year down the road. Black from the start, right out of the gate.

That’s a meaningful departure from a decade of Eventide color convention. The H9 line has been white. The H90 started white. The Gen 2 breaks from both. It’s hard to know exactly what drove that decision — maybe black tests better with current buyers, maybe it photographs better for online listings, maybe it signals the Gen 2 as a distinct product rather than just an update — but it clearly marks a shift in how Eventide is thinking about colorways at launch, rather than as a follow-up play.

What comes next will be interesting to watch. If the Gen 2 eventually gets a white version, a limited retailer run, a special edition tied to a holiday window, the playbook will have simply rotated: black becomes the baseline, white becomes the special. Or Eventide might chart a different path entirely. Either way, the Gen 2 launch is a data point worth noting for anyone paying attention to how color strategy has matured in the pedal industry.

Conclusion

What started as manufacturers trying to squeeze more life out of existing products has become a genuine cultural phenomenon in the guitar world. Limited colorways drive sales, create collectibles, and give players a new reason to talk about pedals they’ve owned for years. The Eventide H9 series didn’t invent this trend, but it has lived through its full arc — from one color for a decade, to gradual limited editions, to a new generation that launches in a color its predecessors never wore. That’s a quietly fascinating evolution, and it says as much about how the pedal market has changed as it does about any single product.

The guitar-related post Eventide H9 Gen 2 Colors: Why Going Straight to Black Changes Everything is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

Few pedals have earned the kind of devoted, long-running following that the original Eventide H9 has managed to accumulate over more than a decade on the market. Released in 2013, the H9 brought Eventide’s professional-grade algorithms — reverbs, pitch shifters, delays, granular processing, and more — into a compact, pedalboard-friendly format that was genuinely without equal at the time. But for all its sonic brilliance, the H9 carried a significant drawback: an interface so stripped-down and cryptic that many players never left the companion app. Now, thirteen years later, Eventide has answered the long-standing calls for a proper successor. The H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 isn’t a minor refresh — it’s a full redesign built on the bones of the company’s flagship H90, and it makes a compelling case for being the definitive single-algorithm multi-effects pedal on the market.

I have two Eventide H9 gen 1s. Both red. They came from GearHero in Florida a few years ago. It was as special release made just for them. I don’t expect to sell them anytime soon. I say that even though I also own an H90.

The H90 took some time for me to wrap my head around. I was afraid of it and how complicated it is. But eventually, I started getting used to it. That said, I do control a lot of its functions with MIDI. The new Eventide H9 Gen 2 I hope will bridge the gap between the two. Based on what I can tell, it will. The key is really simple: More functionality and a more useful hands-on interface than the original H9, but with everything that Eventide has learned from the H90 to make a unit that’s easier to use and less scary in a live setting.

History: Big Shoes to Fill

To understand why the H9 Gen 2 matters, it helps to appreciate the lineage it’s drawing from. The original H9 was a pedal with studio-quality effects — reverb, pitch shifting, delay, granular — algorithms built by Eventide across decades of professional processing history, made available in pedalboard format. Its interface, however, was famously punishing. A single encoder handled nearly every parameter, the display was small and low-resolution (like an old digital clock), and meaningful real-time control essentially required a connected smartphone or tablet running Eventide’s app. For studio use, this was a manageable nuisance. On stage, in low light, mid-performance, it was a different story entirely.

Eventide addressed the dual-core, pro-level end of the market in 2022 with the H90 — a two-algorithm powerhouse with a vastly improved hardware interface, expanded connectivity, and the ability to run two effects simultaneously with true spillover. The H90 set a new benchmark but also raised a question: when would the single-algorithm, compact-format H9 get the same treatment? We did think it would never happen. I mean, I personally thought the H90 would be replacing the h9 for good. As in, I though the H9 would completed be discontinued.

What’s New: The Full H90 Algorithm Library

The most headline-grabbing change in the Gen 2 is its expanded algorithm set. The Gen 2 version expands the H9 Max library to the full 74-algorithm collection found in the H90. Staple effects like delays, reverbs and pitch-shifters are joined by more experimental offerings such as granular processors, vocal effects and synth-style manipulation tools, delivering the broadest collection of Eventide effects ever offered in a single-algorithm pedal. For owners of the original H9 Core or Standard tiers, this is a significant jump — and Eventide has sweetened the deal further. Eventide announced that all H9 Core and Standard customers will be upgraded to the H9 Max at no extra cost.

The 74-algorithm library essentially means every effect Eventide has developed for both the H9 and H90 platforms now lives in one place. Whether you’re chasing classic shimmer reverbs, the deeply weird textures of the Crushstation, or the pitch-bending complexity of the HarModulator, it’s all here in a package that fits on even a modest-sized pedalboard.

The Interface Overhaul: We Now Finally Have Real Controls

If the algorithm expansion is the carrot for longtime H9 users, the interface overhaul is the correction of a long-standing frustration. A larger display offers enhanced visual feedback, with hands-on control provided by a set of three Quick Knobs and button pads; everything can be controlled directly from the pedal itself, with no need to dive into the Eventide Control app, although that is still an option for those wanting to edit their patches remotely. I would say that the Control app would still be very helpful. The H90 already allows full control on the pedal itself. However, working on a large computer screen with a keyboard and mouse still makes for a more efficient workflow when editing patches at home or in the studio.

This is not a small thing. The original H9’s dependence on a phone or tablet wasn’t just inconvenient — it was antithetical to the tactile, immediate nature of guitar playing. Three dedicated Quick Knobs may not give you the parameter density of something like a Line 6 HX Stomp, but they represent a philosophy shift: Eventide now expects you to be able to actually use this pedal with your hands. Over 1000 factory presets are included, and the device remains compatible with existing H9 patches, meaning the transition for current H9 owners should be relatively seamless.

Under the Hood: ARM Processing and Upgraded Converters

The hardware improvements run deeper than what you see on the surface. The new arrival employs a modern ARM-based processor, upgraded ADA converters and flexible routing options. This is the same processing architecture that underpins the H90. In that pedal, two ARM cores run in parallel to handle dual algorithms simultaneously. The H9 Gen 2 is essentially a fully-loaded single-core variant of the H90, which is a meaningful framing: you’re getting half the processing engine of Eventide’s flagship, in a smaller box, at a lower price point. This has the added benefit of simplicity. Sometimes, wrapping your head around running two algorithms at the same time can be confusing. This is specially true given you are sharing controls on the interface, for two cores.

The upgraded converters are worth noting for studio users especially. The original H9’s converters were solid for a pedal of its era, but improved analog-to-digital performance means cleaner headroom, better dynamic handling, and more transparency when running high-fidelity signals. This is something that matters when you’re pushing studio-grade reverb algorithms through line-level gear.

Connectivity: Stereo I/O and USB-C Join the Party

The H9 Gen 2 features stereo I/O and supports both instrument and line-level signals, a USB-C port, and 5-pin MIDI ports on the side. The shift to USB-C from the original’s micro-USB is a welcome practical update, and the inclusion of proper 5-pin DIN MIDI alongside the USB connection means this pedal will slot neatly into MIDI rigs of all generations without adapters or workarounds. Stereo I/O supporting both instrument and line level is a versatility play that makes the Gen 2 equally viable in a guitar rig or a studio effects chain.

There’s another thing worth noting. Guitarists that bought the H90 coming from the original H9 had to often rethink their pedalboard. Not only would the H90 not fit in the space previously held by an H9, but the routing might also change given the dual algorithm of the H90. In this case however, the Gen 2 Eventide H9 could very easily be a drop-in upgrade into existing pedalboards without having to make any time-consuming changes.

H9 Gen 2 vs. the Original H9: Is It Worth Upgrading?

For players who’ve been living with the original H9, the upgrade calculus is fairly clear. The algorithm library alone — growing from the H9 Max’s 52 algorithms to the full 74 — adds meaningful creative range. But the interface improvement is the more transformative change. If you’ve been relying on the app to program sounds at home and then avoiding real-time tweaking live, the Quick Knobs and improved display change that dynamic entirely. Add the newer ARM processing, upgraded converters, and USB-C, and the Gen 2 is essentially the H9 as it probably should have shipped years ago.

The backwards compatibility with existing H9 presets is a practical grace note — your saved sounds travel with you.

H9 Gen 2 vs. the H90: Two Pedals, One Decision

This is where the comparison gets genuinely interesting. The H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 delivers the power of Eventide’s flagship algorithms individually, in a streamlined pedal format, with true spillover between presets for seamless transitions. The H90, by contrast, runs two algorithms simultaneously, opening up dual-effect combinations — reverb into pitch shift, delay into modulation — that the Gen 2 simply cannot do in a single box.

The H90 also carries a larger footprint, more physical controls, and a price tag that reflects its dual-engine capability. At $599, the Gen 2 slots in as a more affordable, more pedalboard-efficient alternative for players who don’t need the dual-routing complexity of the H90. It’s a genuine question of use case: if your workflow centers on a single high-quality effect at a time with clean preset-to-preset transitions, the Gen 2 covers that territory entirely. If simultaneous layered processing is central to how you work, the H90 remains the right tool.

Pricing and Availability

The official launch is set for June 24, 2026, with preorders already live at $599. By comparison, the H90 retails at $999, making the Gen 2 a $400 savings for players who can work within the single-algorithm format. For new buyers coming fresh to the Eventide ecosystem, $599 buys an enormous amount of processing capability — arguably the most complete single-algorithm effects library currently available in pedal form.

Conclusion

The Eventide H9 Harmonizer Gen 2 is a long-overdue and thoroughly executed reinvention of one of the most important multi-effects pedals of the last decade. By transplanting the H90’s processing architecture and full 74-algorithm library into a refined, genuinely playable interface, Eventide has addressed every meaningful criticism of the original without sacrificing what made it great. It’s not the H90 — it won’t run two algorithms at once, and players who depend on that dual-engine power will still need to look to the bigger box. But for anyone who wants world-class Eventide effects in a compact, pedalboard-ready package with an interface that doesn’t require a smartphone to operate, the Gen 2 makes an exceptionally strong case for itself. Whether you’re upgrading from an original H9 or coming to Eventide for the first time, this is the pedal that should have existed years ago — and it’s well worth the wait

The guitar-related post Eventide H9 Gen 2 Review: The Original H9 Harmonizer Gets the Update It Deserved is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.

Built on a Long-Standing Reputation for Sonic Excellence

Universal Audio built its reputation in recording studios, where its hardware and DSP-powered plug-ins became the gold standard for sonic authenticity. When the company announced it was bringing that same philosophy to the pedalboard with its UAFX line, guitarists paid attention. The Starlight Echo Station is the delay entry in that range, and from the moment you plug in, it’s clear this is not a pedal designed to cut corners. With three meticulously modeled delay engines, stereo operation, and UA’s signature obsession with tonal detail, the Starlight sets out to be the last delay pedal you’ll ever need, even if you have a full collection. Whether it succeeds depends on what you’re asking of it. For most players, it comes remarkably close.

The UAFX Starlight Delay has been out for a few years now. The hype has died down. But if you’ve been around SixStringSensei for a while, you’ll notice I don’t follow the hype. I’ll review pedals that have been around for ages if they are still relevant and serving well.
The Universal Audio Starlight is one of these pedals.

Into the Details

The Starlight houses three core delay modes, each modeling a different chapter of delay history. The Tape EP-III recreates the Echoplex EP-3, one of the most beloved tape echo units ever made, with adjustable wow, flutter and noise. This algorithm has the warm, organically degrading character that made the original a studio and stage staple for many top players.

The Analog DMM takes on the Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man, the iconic bucket-brigade delay that defined the sound of shoegaze and atmospheric rock. UA’s version actually stretches the delay time beyond the original’s limitations, giving you more creative range while preserving that dark, slightly woozy warmth.

The third mode, Precision, is a clean digital delay — crystalline, sharp, modern, and highly tweakable with extensive modulation options. A fourth mode is available as a free download via the companion UAFX Control app, adding further value over time.

The Control Panel

The physical controls are well thought-out. Six high-quality knobs handle the essentials. These are time, mix, feedback, and mode-specific parameters. The color knob opens up further tonal variation within each engine. In other words, it does something a little different for each model.

A dedicated modulation control adds tape wobble or chorus-style movement depending on the mode. Toggle switches select between three sub-variations per engine, giving you a surprising range of textures without menu-diving. The Live/Preset footswitch system is elegant: the left switch always reflects the current knob positions, while the right recalls a stored preset, letting you toggle between two distinct sounds mid-performance without losing your echo tails. You have to hold that footswitch down to engage the preset. Otherwise it works perfectly as a traditional tap-tempo switch.

Speaking of tails, the Starlight handles spillover beautifully, keeping your repeats alive when you switch modes or bypass the pedal. True bypass and buffered bypass are both available, switchable via the app. Stereo and dual-mono operation open up wide, immersive soundscapes, and the analog dry-through path ensures your unprocessed signal stays pristine. The build quality is exactly what you’d expect from a company used to making rack-mounted studio hardware which is solid, heavy, and made to last. That said, there have been a few reports of some units over-heating in certain situations.

The companion UAFX Control app, accessible via Bluetooth or USB-C, unlocks deeper parameter editing that the front panel alone can’t reach. This is useful for dialing in sounds at home, even if it adds a layer of complexity that some players would rather avoid. You can pretty much use the pedal just fine without ever reaching for the app. However, software updates, registration and the free extras do merit the use of the app.

Possible Negative Points to Consider

No pedal at this level is without its trade-offs, and the Starlight has a few worth knowing before you commit. The price is substantial — this sits firmly at the top end of the boutique delay market, and some players will reasonably question whether the premium over strong competitors is justified. The single preset limitation is a significant constraint for players who rely on multiple stored sounds in a live context; you get one saved preset per pedal, full stop.
Some users have noted the companion app can be inconsistent, particularly when renaming presets or making Bluetooth connections. And while the pedal is widely praised for its tone, a small number of users have reported noise floor concerns depending on their signal chain. None of these are dealbreakers for the right player, but they’re worth weighing honestly.

Wrapping it Up

A recent firmware update finally brought MIDI control to the UAFX pedals. This allows for more presets and granular control over settings by using a MIDI controller. There are some limitations. For one, this works using USB-MIDI, so you need a controller that can output MIDI via USB.The Universal Audio Starlight Echo Station does what UA has always done best: take the sounds of legendary hardware and render them with a fidelity that goes well beyond surface imitation. The Tape EP-III, Analog DMM and Precision modes each hold up to serious scrutiny, and the thought put into the live performance features makes the Starlight a pedal built for real-world use, not just bedroom noodling. Yes, the price tag is high. However, it still sits in the realm of quality boutique delays where there are still more expensive contenders. For players chasing genuinely authentic vintage echo tones in a modern, robust package, it’s very hard to beat.

The guitar-related post Universal Audio Starlight Delay Review is original and was published first on SixStringSensei.