We could pretend we're tired of new pedals being announced so we can catch a breath, but really we love it. And an update of one of Walrus Audio's very best overdrive pedals is news we're happy to share. Especially as the 385 MKII has some genuinely appealing additions to its features.
The blueprint of the 2016 original was based on a seemingly unlikely source – the 'James'-style tone stack of the original Bell & Howell 385 Filmosound projector's amp that just so happens to sound great when emulated for a responsive overdrive. Now Walrus has added a whole second switch called 385+ to add high-gain saturation to the front of the circuit.
Furthering this versatility is the A/B switch with two separate volume and gain settings to move between, and internally increased voltage for more headroom and dynamics. We'd say this a a significant upgrade that could easily make the purchase justified for existing owners as well as newcomers.
It's available for $249 / €279 / £239 shipping from the end of October with the choice of two versions; flat black with cream design and black with yellow / red ink design.
More info at Walrus Audio, and demos below.
