Gamechanger Audio officially launches Light Pedal – the world’s first analogue optical spring reverb

Gamechanger Audio Light Pedal
(Image credit: Gamechanger Audio)

Having blown us away at NAMM 2020, it gives us great pleasure to say that the Gamechanger Audio Light pedal is now available. 

The Light pedal is a reverb pedal like no other. It takes the traditional spring-driven reverb concept, but where traditionally the audio is converted in mechanical energy, the Light pedal uses infra-red optical sensors at chosen points on the spring, with the resulting performance offering a fuller spectrum of harmonic content.

This technological architecture is exploited by a clever feature set that offers six ambient effects types that take this beyond simply a high-end spring 'verb. The Optics, Sweep, Tremolo, Reflect, Feedback and Harmonic effects can take your tone into some uncharted waters, far from the traditional surf tones you might expect.

The enclosure is set up for tweakers, and features six controls for choosing your effects mode. There are three mix controls for your dry signal, classic spring reverb and optical spring reverb. The Tone control affects both the spring and optical effects only, and has plenty of range on the dial, while the Ctrl knob controls the effect parameter.

Drive allows you to set the level of the signal entering the reverb tank and tailor its response accordingly, while Gate serves two purposes, the first as a gated and ducking reverb control, the second as envelope response for the Ctrl knob.

You can run the Light pedal in momentary or latching modes. Attach an expression pedal to control parameters on-the-fly. Stack the Optical, Sweep and Trem effects with another one of the remaining three and you can create even more transformative sounds.

There's also a shock sensor that takes the wet signal out of play in those occasions when mechanical impact affects the signal.

While 1,000 units were available via a preorder campaign that was launched in February 2020, you can now get your hands on the Light pedal at all good stompbox stores, priced £319/$349.

Jonathan Horsley

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars and guitar culture since 2005, playing them since 1990, and regularly contributes to MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitar World. He uses Jazz III nylon picks, 10s during the week, 9s at the weekend, and shamefully still struggles with rhythm figure one of Van Halen’s Panama.