British amp company Laney has launched an all-new line of bass amps, the Digbeth series, as well as three new additions to its Black Country Customs pedal lineup.
Named after the location of Laney's original factory in Digbeth, Birmingham, the new range comprises 500W and 200W compact bass heads, each of which offer a choice of FET and tube preamp tones, as well as three matching cabs and a dedicated preamp pedal.
New additions to the Black Country Customs pedal series include a compressor (The Custard Factory), interval/pitch-shifter (The 85) and distortion pedal (Blackheath).
Laney Digbeth series
Both DB200H and DB500H heads boast switchable FET and tube-driven preamps for vintage tones, and modern functionality comes by way of XLR outputs, effects loop, mini-jack input and headphones out.
While the 200W head packs a two-band EQ and tilt control, the 500W ups the ante considerably, with a three-band EQ and selectable mid pre-shape EQ curve.
Rounding off the Digbeth range is the DB-PRE, an ultra-portable preamp pedal that features both FET and tube-based signal paths, as well as a comprehensive range of ins and outs.
Cab-wise, there's a choice of the 8x10" DBV810-4, 2x12" DBV212-4, and 4x10" DBV410. All three designs feature HH Black Label ceramic speakers, while the 4x10" and 2x12" formats add a a 1” LaVoce Compression driver for extra upper-frequency response.
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In-depth reviews of both the DB200H and DB500H amp heads will appear in the June 2021 issue of Bass Player magazine.
New Black Country Customs pedals
First up in the trio of new BCC pedals is The Custard Factory. Offering “studio-quality compression”, this stompbox is designed to be transparent, and won't mess with basses' fundamental tone. Features include three modes of compression – Fast, Medium and Slow – and silent switching.
The 85, meanwhile, delivers three bass-focused intervals – +1 octave up, -2 octaves down and a Perfect 5th up – as well as a Focus control, which allows players to further fine-tune the tone, creating everything from “classic funky subs to massive synth-like chords”.
Lastly, the Blackheath sets its sights on distortion, with a central toggle switch that allows players to choose between two Distortion modes and one Overdrive, while further controls include Gain, Volume, Range and Colour.
For more information on the Digbeth series and new Black Country Customs pedals, head to Laney.
