Carl Martin Quattro

134 Guitarist February 2008
QUICKTEST
MISCELLANEOUS
Most digital delay
stompboxes have features
designed to emulate that
vintage analogue delay
sound if you want it,
but how about the
real thing?
Analogman’s
AR20DL is a
real analogue
delay using
old-style
bucket
brigade
chips to
create those
blurry, warm
repeats that blend
so nicely into the
overall sound. Based on
pedals like the BOSS DM-2 and
Ibanez AD80, the AR20DL is a
very solidly built little stompbox
not too dissimilar in size or design
to a BOSS compact pedal. It runs
from a 9V battery or power supply
and has controls for delay time,
delay level and feedback. Unlike all
the other Analogman pedals that
are entirely built in the US, this one
is more cosmopolitan in origin,
being sourced from a Japanese
company, made in China and then
further modified by Analogman in
the USA.
Sounds
The AR20DL does all the things an
analogue delay should – from
metallic bathtub reverb, through
rockabilly slapback to longer
repeats up to around 300ms, plus
those downright spacey effects
you can get by fiddling with the
knobs – easily done as the knobs
are tall, thin and nicely spaced.
Tonally the repeats are a tad
brighter than a DM-2, with a touch
more clarity, but they still dissipate
in a way that really complements
the guitar sound, enveloping
and enhancing it.
Ve rdic t
It is unfortunate that the AR20DL
is only available via internet sales
and it's also unfortunate, though
promising, that each new batch
sells out really quickly. But that
may be worth persevering with as,
providing basic, easy-to-use, nice
sounding delay, this pedal offers
a viable alternative to resorting to
seeking out battered vintage units
on Ebay. [TC]
The bottom line
We like: Compact size; very
usable vintage sound; easily
tweakable knobs
We dislike: In short supply
GUITARIST RATING
There’s not
a great
deal that’s
cuter than a
three-quarter size
version of a very
familiar design and it’s
also a tad strange
that a band such as
Metallica – for
which the word
‘cute’ should only
be applied when
James Hetfield can’t
hear you – would be the
subject of such a thing.
This is ESP’s first foray into
the world of three-quarter-
sized (or travel sized, if you’re
an adult) electrics, yet, full
Floyd Rose whammy aside, the
Junior is very close in spec to
Kirk Hammett’s enduring KH-2
model. With a 521mm (20.5-inch)
scale it boasts the same reverse
headstock, ultra-black finish and
skull and crossbones neck inlays.
Pickups comprise an EMG-ESP
LH-300 set of passive ’buckers and
there are 22 fat frets too.
Sounds
It’s possible to tune the guitar to
regular concert pitch but we found
the strings too floppy and unstable,
so we settled on tuning a full tone
upwards – F# to F#. The basic tone
is very focused and works well
with that classic scooped crunch,
while the pickups are hot enough
to give an impressively warm tone
with lower gains.
It goes without saying that adult
fingers will have a problem with
accurate playing around and above
the 12th fret, simply because the
wires are so close together, but if
there’s a Metallica fan amongst
your little monsters, it’s safe to
say they’ll love this.
Ve rdic t
The line between gimmick and
serious instrument is always
blurred with items such as this, but
it plays well enough and sounds
surprisingly good, all things
considered, and it goes without
saying that it looks the part too.
Invisible Kid? Not with one of
these strapped on… [SB]
ESP LTD KH-Junior £219
The bottom line
We like: The surprisingly good
tones; price; sheer vibe
We dislike: In practical terms,
adults at least are better off
sticking to powerchords…
GUITARIST RATING
A miniscule metal machine mimicking Metallica's main man's
Analogman AR20DL
Analog Delay
$145
History repeats with a modern yet old-school analogue delay
CONTACT: Selectron UK PHONE: [phone] WEB: www.espguitars.com
CONTACT: Analogman PHONE: N/A WEB: www.analogman.com
Kirk Hammett’s three-
quarter-sized monster
A modern take on
an old design
GIT299.rev_quick 134 20/12/07 12:54:48