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New guitar gear of the month: review round-up (March 2018)

News
By MusicRadar ( Total Guitar, Guitarist ) published 7 March 2018

Give your sound a spring clean with these guitars and pedals

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Faith Naked Mars

Faith Naked Mars

The bounty of beautiful gear that came at NAMM is now a distant memory, as we have been inundated with all manner of guitar products that have eased the post-Anaheim comedown.

Here, we take a digested look at all of the guitar reviews that appeared on the site during February. We start with the Naked Mars from Faith.

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A great all-rounder.”

FULL REVIEW: Faith Naked Mars 

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 1 of 16
Page 1 of 16
Empress Echosystem

Empress Echosystem

MusicRadar's verdict:

“An excellent pedal for delay aficionados, and it can only get better with subsequent firmware updates.”

FULL REVIEW: Empress Echosystem

4.5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 2 of 16
Page 2 of 16
Walrus Audio Monument Tremolo

Walrus Audio Monument Tremolo

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A practical pedal offering an excellent variety of sonic options with the bonus of plenty of expressive control.”

FULL REVIEW: Walrus Audio Monument Tremolo

4.5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 3 of 16
Page 3 of 16
Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR

Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR

MusicRadar's verdict:

“While the haircuts may have changed since the ‘80s, the desire for a fun, well-appointed, classic shred machine will clearly never die out.”

FULL REVIEW: Schecter Sun Valley Super Shredder FR

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 4 of 16
Page 4 of 16
Emma ReezaFRATzitz

Emma ReezaFRATzitz

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A solid pedal that has some interesting sounds to offer.”

FULL REVIEW: Emma ReezaFRATzitz

3 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 5 of 16
Page 5 of 16
Stone Deaf Trashy Blonde

Stone Deaf Trashy Blonde

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A pedal blessed with tones to put a smile on a classic rocker’s face.”

FULL REVIEW: Stone Deaf Trashy Blonde

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 6 of 16
Page 6 of 16
Wampler Catapulp

Wampler Catapulp

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A powerful contender.”

FULL REVIEW: Wampler Catapulp

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 7 of 16
Page 7 of 16
Shergold Masquerader 4

Shergold Masquerader 4

MusicRadar's verdict:

“An affordable and well-built guitar that is well worth your time.”

FULL REVIEW: Shergold Masquerader 4

4.5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 8 of 16
Page 8 of 16
Gretsch G6134T-58 Vintage Select ’58 Penguin

Gretsch G6134T-58 Vintage Select ’58 Penguin

MusicRadar's verdict:

“Some might think that the price tag takes the biscuit but we reckon there’s never been a better time to p-p-p-pick up a Penguin.”

FULL REVIEW: Gretsch G6134T-58 Vintage Select ’58 Penguin

4.5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 9 of 16
Page 9 of 16
Mooer Ocean Machine

Mooer Ocean Machine

MusicRadar's verdict:

“For a one-stop ambience shop, Mooer’s Ocean Machine is the logical destination.”

FULL REVIEW: Mooer Ocean Machine 

5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Total Guitar)

Page 10 of 16
Page 10 of 16
Gretsch G6128T-57 Vintage Select ’57 Duo Jet

Gretsch G6128T-57 Vintage Select ’57 Duo Jet

MusicRadar's verdict:

“If you want a classic tone machine that’ll transport you back to a time when amplifier distortion was still regarded as a fault, the ’57 is a dream.”

FULL REVIEW: Gretsch G6128T-57 Vintage Select ’57 Duo Jet

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 11 of 16
Page 11 of 16
Taylor Academy 12e-N

Taylor Academy 12e-N

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A fine guitar, but it comes at a price.”

FULL REVIEW: Taylor Academy 12e-N 

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 12 of 16
Page 12 of 16
EMG RetroActive Fat 55 pickup set

EMG RetroActive Fat 55 pickup set

MusicRadar's verdict:

“This provides one of the most intelligent blends of old and new that we’ve heard.”

FULL REVIEW: EMG RetroActive Fat 55 pickup set

4.5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 13 of 16
Page 13 of 16
La Patrie Arena CW Q1T

La Patrie Arena CW Q1T

MusicRadar's verdict:

“An impressive build and design.”

FULL REVIEW: La Patrie Arena CW Q1T 

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 14 of 16
Page 14 of 16
BAE Audio Hot Fuzz

BAE Audio Hot Fuzz

MusicRadar's verdict:

“A sublime combination of fuzz and treble boost.”

FULL REVIEW: BAE Audio Hot Fuzz

4 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 15 of 16
Page 15 of 16
Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet

Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet

MusicRadar's verdict:

“An affordable model that won’t let you down.”

FULL REVIEW: Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet

3.5 out of 5

(Originally reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 16 of 16
Page 16 of 16
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MusicRadar deals of the week: Score a massive $1,000 off Roland V-Drums, up to $320 off a range of Fender guitars, and so much more
 
 
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score a mind-blowing $1,000 off the stunning D'Angelico Excel SS, $500 off the gorgeous Heritage Standard H-535, and so much more
 
 
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
“These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
 
 
EarthQuaker Devices Rancho de la Luna Dirt Transmitter
“Simply a killer fuzz pedal”: EarthQuaker Devices Dirt Transmitter – Rancho de la Luna Ltd Ed review
 
 
PRS SE Semi-Hollow Special
"A stellar build complements a gorgeous aesthetic, and thankfully, it has the tones and playability to back it up": PRS SE Special Semi-Hollow review
 
 
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Walrus Audio’s Canvas Power USB is the super-compact device for powering your rig with a laptop charger
 
 
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Good news for Randy Rhoads fans – his MXR Distortion+ is back, and you have got to see its supersonic finish
 
 
Strymon PCH Active Direct Interface: the little black box from the digital effects powerhouse offers routing for sending your signal direct from a pedalboard to a PA or FRFR speakers, and it has a headphones output for silent monitoring.
Strymon unveils the PCH Active Direct Interface – the missing link for your amp-less pedalboard setup?
 
 
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A compact series stompbox you can turn into any one of 16 classic Boss effects? Meet the Plugout FX
 
 
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