Four stompboxes inspired by the Uni-Vibe, Octavio, Fuzz Face and Band of Gypsys Fuzz are included, featuring artwork remixed from John Van Hamserveld's Shrine Auditorium concert poster
(Image credit: Dunlop)
Dunlop has paid tribute to Jimi Hendrix and some of his most iconic effects pedals by introducing the Authentic Hendrix ‘68 Shrine Series of stompboxes.
Comprising four mini pedals, the Authentic Hendrix ‘68 family promises to pair faithful Hendrixian tones with distinct Hendrix visuals, courtesy of pedal artwork composed and remixed from John Van Hamersveld’s iconic 1968 Shrine Auditorium concert poster.
The range includes special-edition pedals inspired by the Fuzz Face, Uni-Vibe chorus/vibrato, Octavio fuzz and Band of Gypsys Fuzz Face fuzz pedal, all of which are situated in MXR mini-casings.
First up on the list of psychedelic-flavored stompboxes is the Uni-Vibe, which features three control knobs dictating Speed, Level and Depth. For all intents and purposes, it’s effectively just a downsized MXR M68 Uni-Vibe – complete with the Vibe button – save Von Hamersveld’s art.
It’s a similar story for the Shrine Series Octavio fuzz, which crams the MXR Octavio – with its Output and Fuzz knobs – into a smaller housing, with the updated circuitry also featuring a top-mounted Octave button.
Completing the lineup is the Fuzz Face mini-pedal – which offers knobs for Volume and Fuzz, and two separate buttons for delivering a duo of Hendrix-flavored tones – and the Band of Gypsys fuzz.
The latter pedal is inspired by a mysterious Fuzz Face that Hendrix used at numerous shows between ‘69 and ‘70, which provided a notably aggressive, biting tone. Here, there are no mode-selecting switches, just parameters for Tone, Output and Fuzz.
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It’s not the first time Dunlop has released new-look mini-pedals based on Hendrix’s most famous effects with a neat aesthetic twist. In fact, a few years ago this exact pedal line-up was released under the ‘69 Psych Series umbrella.
Back then, those pedals tapped into Hendrix’s psychedelic aesthetic through custom artwork designed by UK-based designer, ILOVEDUST.
They are, however, now discontinued, meaning if you fancy snapping up a downsized stompbox that can give your pedalboard a distinct Hendrix aesthetic flair while delivering solid MXR tones, the Authentic Hendrix ‘68 Shrine series is the way to go.
Each pedal is available to preorder now for $149, and will begin shipping next month.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.