NEW GEAR 43/24: Solar Relik, Darkglass Preamp, Blackstar JJN-50 and Roland V-Drums QD

Solar AB1.6FR Superstrats from the Relik series

"We’ve been talking about doing distressed finishes for a while. But when I saw and played what the team in Spain had achieved, I was blown away. We immediately decided to put these guitars into production," says Solar Guitars boss Ola Englund about the new Relik edition. The collection starts with the AB1.6FRC and AB1.6FRW Relik models with an alder body, maple neck and two-octave fretboard, Solar Modern + Dual Rail humbuckers and Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo. The price of approx. 1600 euros includes a solid ABS case, service keys and certification.

Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1955 Les Paul Standard Copper Iridescent

The blues-rock magician's signature model is based on his 1955 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a rare Copper Iridescent shade, which Bonamassa describes with the words: "From a distance, it looks brown, but in direct light, it has gold metal flake in the finish". The mahogany construction with glued neck and Custom '59 Rounded-C profile is complemented by a maple top, while the Laurel fretboard carries 22 medium jumbo frets and Graph Tech walnut. Two P-90 PRO pickups are installed, tied to high-quality CTS potentiometers and Mallory condensers. Nickel-plated hardware consists of a stopbar tailpiece, LockTone TOM bridge and period Deluxe machines. Price including hard stylish case: approx. 900 euros.

Diamond Dark Cloud Hybrid Delay

Canadian brand Diamond Pedals has strengthened its product catalogue with the Dark Cloud delay, which, in the words of the manufacturer, "redefines delay effects and is unrivalled in this category". The pedal, where analogue warmth meets digital precision, is built on a hybrid analogue dBBD (digital Bucket Brigade) architecture, unlocking a new limit in reverb, unattainable with standard BBD circuits. Tape, Harmonic and Reverse mods and the same number of rhythmizations (fourths, eighths, dotted eighths) can be selected, the main footswitch is connected in buffered mode and the power supply is provided by a 9V DC adapter. Price: approx. 250 dollars.

Preamp/boost Hiwatt WEM CCB-1 Copicat

The Watkins Copicat echo chamber has an undeniable place in rock history. As one of the first commercially available delays, it shaped the sound of the '60s and '70s, and players have come to appreciate the preamp section in addition to the reverb circuits themselves, the sound of which is now brought to life by the WEM (Watkins Electric Music) CCB-1 Copicat boost pedal from Hiwatt's Custom Shop. The preamp/boost has simple controls in the form of Level and Frequency potentiometers, but this is perfectly adequate for kicking up the amp's input or setting a different tone colour. In addition, the CCB-1 can be powered with up to 18V for increased dynamics. Copicat is available on the Reverb website for about 90 euros.

Walrus effects from the Mako MKII series

Walrus Audio has these days started distributing the first batch of Mako MKII pedals, consisting of the upgraded D1 Delay, R1 Reverb, M1 Modulation and ACS1 Amp + Cab Simulator models. The second generation of Mako MKII series effects boasts new controls and globally improved algorithms that have been carefully tuned to significantly improve tonal quality, and the dynamic range has also been extended. Editing is now made easier with a navigation menu in the form of an elongated OLED display, so the player has not only auditory but also visual feedback when setting presets. The D1, R1 and M1 versions cost about 400 dollars, while the ACS1 variant can be had for about 450 dollars.

Blackstar JJN-50 amplifier and JJN 212 VOC box

The Blackstar JJN-50, which is also available in plug-in form, is another signature full-range amp designed for blues-rock guitarist Jared James Nichols, who this time preferred the higher power output of 50 watts, achieved via a pair of EL34 power tubes, while the max. level can be switched to 2 W. In addition to the two-channel preamp, there's a Blues Power circuit for a drive with rich harmonic components, reverb, a Reactive Load section, a CabRig speaker simulator and a USB-C port. The JJN 212 VOC vertical cabinet, built from high-quality plywood, is fitted with 12" Celestion G12T-75 and Zephyr speakers.

Darkglass Luminal Booster Ultra bass preamp

The Darkglass Luminal Booster Ultra bass preamp, featuring a compressor and graphic equalizer in addition to the preamp section, allows for precise control of dynamics and the creation of a wide range of sounds. The integrated compressor with low-pass filter has a studio quality, while the six-band graphic EQ is complemented by Mid Gain and Mid Frequency parameters for mid-band adjustment. The Character control selects one of seven slots for cabinet IR pulses, and a foot-switchable Cut/Boost (+/-20dB) is added. The effect also features an XLR DI output, USB-C port and a minijack Aux In plus headphone jack. Price: approx. 500 dollars.

Fender Mark Hoppus Jaguar Bass limited edition

The signed four-string model of the bassist of the band Blink-182 features an alder body, a maple neck with a special profile and a rosewood fretboard carrying 20 medium jumbo frets. The Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound Precision Bass Split-Coil pickups received only a volume control and the half-coils are mounted in reverse at Hoppus' request. The HiMass bridge allows strings to be anchored through the body or with a top-load system, and the lightweight machines have graduated shaft heights. The instrument in 3-colour Sunburst or Sea Foam Green finishes costs about 1,450 euros including the Deluxe gig bag.

Roland V-Drums Quiet Design electronic drum kits

Not long after the flagship V-Drums 7 series, Roland has introduced another addition to this series of electronic kits, in the form of the V-Drums Quiet Design edition, consisting of the VQD106PADS and VQD106 models. The name of the collection suggests that both kits are designed for quiet practicing or recording, which the manufacturer confirms with the information that the new kits are up to 75 percent quieter than standard electronic kits. The VQD106 with TD-07 module includes a dual-zone snare, bass pad, 3x single-zone toms, hi-hat including FD-9 pedal, crash and ride. The VQD106PADS version has the same equipment, except for the module, so the player can combine the kit with the station of their choice. Prices: the VQD106 approx. 2,300 euros, the VQD106PADS approx. 2,000 euros.

3 Focusrite sound cards from the Scarlett 4th Gen edition

The Focusrite Scartlett fourth generation sound cards have been joined by a trio of 16i16, 18i16 and 18i20 models that could appeal to more demanding users. All cards offer S/PDIF, ADAT, MIDI digital inputs and outputs and are compatible with Focusrite's Control 2 app for computers and mobile devices. The Scarlett 16i16 features two mic preamps, 4x line inputs and the same number of TRS outputs. The 18i16 version adds two more mic/line channels with combo inputs, and the flagship 18i20 rack-mount format with a total of eight preamp channels has a redesigned front panel with clearer controls, including a master output meter.