Prepare to get GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) because this week, we’re diving deep into some truly exciting new guitar gear. Sparkle finishes, multi-scale guitars, and possibly the deepest reverb pedal I’ve ever seen are all on the menu. Buckle up, folks, because we’re in for a wild ride!
Gretsch G5230T Electromatic Sparkle Jet FT
First up, let’s talk about the Gretsch G5230T Electromatic Sparkle Jet FT. Yes, it’s a long name, almost like something Ibanez would come up with! This beauty features a single cut chambered mahogany body with a maple top, topped off with a finish that looks like someone spilled a disco ball all over it.
Available in both silver and gold sparkle, this guitar definitely shines! But it’s not just about the glitter; it packs two Filtertron FT5E humbuckers which are modern yet still carry that classic Gretsch vibe. The controls may seem a bit confusing initially (welcome to the Gretsch dance), but once you get the hang of it, you’ll appreciate the individual volume for each pickup, master tone, and master volume with a treble bleed.
And let’s not forget about the Bigsby B50 vibrato, which is perfect for those gentle warbles. However, if you’re looking to dive bomb, you might want to reconsider. The neck is a thin hue set mahogany with a Laurel fingerboard, a twelve-inch radius, and medium jumbo frets. The only downside? Those tuners look a bit cheap. But hey, you either love sparkly finishes or you don’t!
I personally am all about sparkle, especially the silver. It reminds me of Sheryl Crow’s second album cover that’s been stuck in my head for ages. If you’re into Les Pauls but want something a bit showier, this could be the guitar for you. Prices vary worldwide, but you can expect it to be around seven hundred notes. Check the links in the description for the most accurate pricing.
On the gasometer, this one is firmly in wishlist territory. If sparkle finishes are your thing, I think this guitar will find its way into your shopping cart.
Cort KX507MS Pale Moon
Next up is the Cort KX507MS Pale Moon. If the Gretsch is like a wild night in Vegas, this guitar feels like a sci-fi metal cathedral. Seriously, it looks like it was carved out of some alien tree—and I’m totally here for it!
This guitar features a pale moon ebony top, roasted maple, and purple heart neck, along with individual hardtail string-through bridges. But here’s the kicker: it’s a multi-scale seven-string guitar. This means longer scale on the bass side and shorter on the treble side, which keeps the tension nice and tight for chugging while allowing for easy bends on the high strings.
Now, I know some of you might be zoning out right now, but bear with me. Cort produces a lot of Indonesian-made guitars, and they’re known for delivering recognizable quality at a lower price point. So if this seven-string doesn’t excite you, I encourage you to check out their other models because they offer excellent bang for your buck.
This guitar comes equipped with Fishman Fluence modern humbuckers—ceramic bridge and Alnico neck—with three voicings selected via push-pull pots. You get everything from high-gain brutality to single-coil sparkle. The neck is a bolt-on five-piece speed machine, probably with a D-shaped profile, and it has twenty-four stainless steel frets.
Although I’m not completely sold on the finish, it’s definitely more on the “yum” side of my yum-to-yuck spectrum. The price? Expect to pay around one thousand notes. If this guitar had a different brand name, you’d likely be looking at a much higher price. On the gasometer, I’d say it’s firmly in the “borrow one to try” category, but if you’re in the market for a seven-string, it could easily squeeze its way into your cart.
Mooer MSC50 Pro
Now let’s talk about the Mooer MSC50 Pro. This is a higher-end affordable S-style electric guitar that’s packed with features. If you thought the Cort was too boring, strap in for this one.
With an older body, roasted maple neck, and a twelve-inch radius rosewood fretboard, this guitar comes with locking tuners, a two-point tremolo, and an HSS pickup layout with a coil split on the bridge humbucker. That’s more premium features than some guitars priced twice as high!
The sparkly finish is called “magic crystal.” Yes, it looks like a glitter bomb exploded in the factory, but in a tasteful way. The see-through pickguards are a fantastic design choice, allowing you to see everything happening inside the guitar. However, I have to admit that after seeing high-resolution photos, I’m not as fond of the pickguard as I initially was.
Nothing about this guitar screams budget! It even comes with a bone nut and that push-pull coil split, which is usually reserved for much more expensive guitars. So, let’s place some bets on the price. If you guessed around four hundred notes, then congratulations—you win seventeen internet points! This is a lot of guitar for a very reasonable price.
However, I do think it’s a bit odd that it’s only available in a sparkle finish, which might not be for everyone. Still, this should definitely put Mooer on the map when compared to brands like Squier and Harley Benton. On the gasometer, this one is another firm add to cart, with only the finish holding it back in my humble opinion.
EHX Ocean’s Abyss
I don’t usually need scuba gear to explore a reverb pedal, but the EHX Ocean’s Abyss is deep—like Mariana Trench deep! Imagine if Electro-Harmonix took their amazing Ocean’s Eleven reverb pedal and cranked it up to eleven. Well, that’s exactly what they did!
The Ocean’s Abyss isn’t just a reverb pedal; it’s a full stereo reverb workstation. With dual stereo reverb engines, you can have two stereo reverbs running simultaneously, and you can even place each one independently in the stereo field. There are ten reverb types, including shimmer, dynamic, polyphonic, auto infinite, and even resined reverb. And that’s just scratching the surface!
They’ve packed in eight effect blocks, including delay, EQ, chorus, bit crush, and tremolo, which you can arrange in any order you like. It’s also got MIDI, USB-C, one hundred and twenty-eight presets, expression and footswitch inputs, and an editable tails mode per preset. It’s absurd!
This pedal is not just about slapping reverb onto your signal; it’s about sculpting the very space your sound exists in. It could easily become a lost evening or weekend rabbit hole in the best possible way. But all this fun comes at a price, and it’s not going to leave you with much change out of five hundred notes. So, if you’re a casual reverb user, I’d recommend starting with the Ocean’s Eleven. But if you live inside your reverb trails, this might be your new command center!
According to the gasometer, this one is definitely an add to cart. Just be prepared for the price tag.
Andy’s Pick of the Week
Now, let’s move on to my pick of the week, which happens to be two pedals—the Thermion Power Trem and Power Vibe. These beautifully built analog pedals from Spain are worth your attention.
The Power Trem pays homage to vintage amp tremolos, like the brown face Fender harmonic trem and classic optical trem circuits. The Power Vibe is a modern take on the Uni Vibe, boasting separate chorus and vibe modes along with a full analog signal path. If you’ve ever wanted to float above your amp, these pedals might get you there!
Here’s the exciting part: both are priced at just one hundred and twenty-five euros. In a world where pedals around a hundred notes are usually made in factories across Asia, Thermion is taking a different path. I’ve played a lot of their products, and everything has been fantastic so far. These pedals sound amazing in the demo videos and offer great value.
According to the gasometer, these are firmly in the buy-it-now territory. They might not set my wallet on fire, but they should give you quality pedals for your board while supporting a great business. Plus, I’ve been told that Thermion will be rolling out a whole range of effects in the PowerBolt series, so keep an eye out for more!
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And remember, the washing machine is going up, so I might need to buy a new one!