Music is the universal language
“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” - Luke 2:14
Premier Guitar
The Chorus Pedal for Players Who Hate Chorus
The Aqueous Chorus is our take on the best of both worlds — vintage bucket brigade character andmodern watery tones” says Chris Van Tassel. Chris continues, “We wanted a chorus that didn’t just soundgood, but felt good to play. With added controls for EQ and gain makeup, it gives players a huge palette ofsounds from subtle vibe textures to full-on rotating speaker effects, vintage and modern chorus soundsthanks to its tilt EQ.”
Aqueous Chorus Features:
- Vintage to modern chorus tones with Tilt EQ shaping (wet signal only)
- Preamp section for gain makeup and added feel not typically found in modulation pedals
- Mix control blends chorus and vibe modes, with vibe-only in the last 1/4 rotation
- Depth and Speed controls for subtle movement to extreme modulation
- Rotary-style sounds and lush modulation effects are available with creative settings
- Built with rugged construction and vintage-inspired looks Specifications:
- 9VDC Negative Tip Power (no internal battery option)
- 28mA Current Draw
The Aqueous Chorus will be available November 6th, 2025 via select dealers for $229.99
Aqueous Chorus
With the Aqueous, J. Rockett applies its penchant for pedals that blend modern functionality with vintage charm to the world of chorus effects. Its stylish, handbuilt design provides a diverse palette of both classic and contemporary shimmers, with a 5-control layout for effortless tweakability. The Aqueous bridges the gap between vintage BBD-style effects and modern textures, featuring controls for Speed and Depth, along with a Tilt EQ that adjusts the overall tonal balance. A built-in Preamp sets the level, making it highly popular among Sweetwater guitarists by maintaining signal strength and adding a unique character to the overall tone. Designed for balance and accuracy, the Aqueous is a versatile chorus at home on any pedalboard.
Chris Shiflett Went Way Back with Ace Frehley
To celebrate the late great Space Ace, we called up PG’s favorite Kiss fan, Chris Shiflett.
On at least one of your 100 Guitarists hosts’ favorite episode of Shred with Shifty, the Foo guitarist sat down with Ace to talk about his guitar playing on “Shock Me.” It’s a fun interview with lots of great anecdotes and killer vibes. But Shiflett has a lot more perspective on Ace, going way back to meeting the members of Kiss without their makeup as a kid.
Thanks to our Sponsor!
Learn more! www.gibson.com Just Mustard’s Art of Noise
All it takes is a minute or so of listening to Just Mustard’s music—a bewitching and unruly blend of fuzzy, guitar-driven post-punk and shoegaze-y noise rock—to make one thing abundantly clear: They’re not exactly aiming to challenge Taylor Swift for chart supremacy. “No, we’re not really interested in having pop singles,” says David Noonan, who, along with fellow guitarist Mete Kalyon, delights in creating cavernous, atmospheric walls of sound for the Irish quintet. “We’ve always been trying to make music that’s more avant-garde. I know it’s a cliché, but we like to push boundaries.”
He pauses for a second, then adds, “Which isn’t to say that we don’t want to be popular, because that would be great. We just want to do it our way.”
Just Mustard (which also includes singer Katie Ball, bassist Rob Clarke, and drummer Shane Maguire) have a doozy of an album with their new We Were Just Here, which builds on the strengths of its predecessors, 2018’s Wednesday and 2022’s Heart Under. Like those records, it’s an immersive sonic extravaganza, brimming with walloping, cavernous soundscapes and gnarly, twisted guitar lines that dart off in all kinds of directions. At the same time, it ventures into warmer, friendlier territory. Lead single “Pollyanna” is one of the band’s most cheerful efforts to date—Ball’s enchanting, ethereal vocals float though its feedback-laden textures—and the propulsive, synth-like title track has an irresistible early-’80s peppiness to it.
“It’s interesting—people have said that song reminds them of early New Order, which isn’t what we were going for,” Kalyon says. “I think when you try to make guitars sound like synths it actually works sometimes. But I never want to disguise the sound of the guitars entirely. I’d rather have people say, ‘Wow, that’s a cool guitar sound,’ not ‘Are you playing a synth there?’”
Unconventional as they may be in their guitar approaches, both Noonan and Kalyon came by their love of music by way of bands like the Beatles, Queen, and Led Zeppelin. “I wanted to be a saxophone player and a drummer at first, but they were too loud, so my parents got me a guitar,” Noonan says. His first guitar—a Squier Strat—practically became firewood when he discovered Nirvana. “The music was so exciting, and I thought that’s how you were supposed to play guitar, by throwing it around your bedroom and breaking things,” he says.
"I think when you try to make guitars sound like synths it actually works sometimes. But I never want to disguise the sound of the guitars entirely."—Mete Kalyon
It was also Nirvana that ignited the spark for Kalyon. “I used to listen to their greatest hits album, and that made me go, ‘All right, I need to learn how to play guitar,’” he says. “I got a crap guitar and played the hell out of it.” However, Kurt Cobain wasn’t the only Seattle guitarist who excited him: “I used to play loads of Jimi Hendrix’s stuff on guitar, but I can’t do it anymore,” he says.
Noonan laughs and says, “The first thing I remember about Mete was that he could play Hendrix’s ‘Little Wing.’ We were so impressed that he could break something like that out.”
Gear
David Noonan’s Gear
Guitars
Fender Jaguar Special HH
Fender Player II Jazzmaster (live)
Amp
Fender Hot Rod DeVille 212 IV
Effects
Fender Expression pedal
JHS Electro-Harmonix Soul Food with “Meat & 3” Mod
Electro-Harmonix Cathedral stereo reverb
Z.Vex Fat Fuzz Factory
Crowther Audio Hot Cake
DigiTech X-Series DigiDelay
Montreal Assembly Count to 5 delay/sampler
Hologram Effects Dream Sequence
Strings, Picks and Cables
Ernie Ball Super Slinky
Dunlop Max-Grip nylon .60mm
Fender cables
Mete Kalyon’s Gear
Guitar
Fender Telecaster
Amp
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
Effects
Pro Co Turbo RAT distortion
Way Huge Swollen Pickle Fuzz
Z.Vex Machine Oscillator
Electro-Harmonix Cathedral stereo reverb
DigiTech Polara Reverberator
Boss DD-7 Digital Delay
Moog MF Moogerfooger Ring Modulator
Montreal Assembly Count to 5 delay/sampler
Strings, Picks and Cables
Ernie Ball Super Slinky
“Whatever picks I can get my hands on”
“I haven’t a clue what cables I use”
Noonan met Kalyon in the college town of Dundalk, where he and pal Clarke, enthralled by electronica and groups like the Pixies and Sonic Youth, had moved in the hopes of starting a band. Hooking up with Ball put things in motion, but they soon realized they needed a second guitarist to fill out their sound. “It wasn’t quite an abduction, but I guessed they had heard that I played guitar and was into their kind of music,” Kalyon recalls. “I just remember David grabbing me off the street and saying, ‘Quick—you’re joining our band.’ It was quite shocking, really. Just like that, I was in.”
After a few jam sessions, it became apparent to both guitarists that their experimental approaches to sound complemented each other perfectly. “We grew up with traditional rock and blues, but we did away with that once we formed the band,” Noonan says. “The idea was to sound like electronica, but with guitars making all the noise.”
“The idea was to sound like electronica, but with guitars making all the noise.”—David Noonan
Over the course of their first two self-produced albums, the duo created abrasive sheets of pedal-driven textures—loud then soft, continuing the Nirvana template—with Noonan driving home sparky lead lines wherever they seemed to fit. But the two insist that there’s no dedicated “lead player” in the group. “We’re quite capable of swapping roles,” Kalyon says. “If I’m making one sound, David does the other, and vice versa.”
Noonan graduated to producer on We Were Just Here, and his basic approach involved recording the band live and then adding numerous guitar tracks—Noonan on a Fender Jaguar, Kalyon on a Fender Telecaster—to heighten the overall impact. “Silver” is an unnerving yet wondrous full-frontal assault on which Noonan piles tracks of pitch-shifting noise, enhanced by a Hologram Effects Dream Sequence. He and Kalyon ratchet up the chaos on “Endless Death”—its engulfing sonic boom is spiked with jagged melody lines that seem to escape at random times, shrieking and sputtering from all ends of the frequency range.
“We kind of came at that one with everything we had,” Noonan says. “There was a lot of tinkering that went into that song, and now we have to figure out how to play it live.”
The matter of transferring their new material to the stage is a task that the band is now pondering, and Noonan admits that it’s going to be a harder nut to crack than before. “On some level, we just have to do what feels right at the moment, which is what we’ve always done,” he says. “Here’s a guitar melody that sounds right, but then you’ve got to slip back into the sonic happening and play something that’s not necessarily a lead part.”
He continues, “When we’re in the studio, there’s a lot of constructing bits that can make everything sound overproduced, but we don’t want to get to the level with some bands where you go to see them live and they have to have backing tracks or add these session musicians who go on tour with them. When you come see us, we want you to experience what you’re hearing on the record, which is us playing everything.”
Electro-Harmonix Brings to Lifethe Big Muff PI 2
The Electro-Harmonix story is long and complex with more untold stories beneath the surface than most could imagine. Part of that untold story is all of the pedal ideas that never got made for one reason or another. EHX aficionados Josh Scott and Daniel Danger had been digging through all of the EHX’s history when they came upon an old schematic at the home of original Big Muff Pi designer, Bob Myer. Initially passed over by EHX Founder, Mike Matthews, for what would become the Op-Amp Big Muff Pi back in the late 70’s, this schematic serves as a window into that untold story of forgotten pedals, so Josh went to work to bring this circuit to life in collaboration with Electro-Harmonix. The result, a Dual Op-Amp fuzz that’s very much Big Muff with its own character dubbed the Big Muff Pi 2.
The Big Muff Pi 2 is a slight detour from the usual Big Muff tone. Slightly lower gain, slightly less refined edges with a unique feel, but with the signature sustain and full-bodied BMP tone known and loved by countless players. Housed in EHX’s Nano-sized chassis in a vibrant refinish with graphics by Daniel Danger, the pedal features the familiar SUSTAIN, TONE, and VOL controls. SUSTAIN controls the amount of distortion from heavy crunch to full speaker pounding saturation. The TONE knob is a classic BMP-style tone control, boosting treble and cutting bass as it’s turned up, from wooly to searing. VOL adjusts the overall output of the effects.
This lost piece of the pi ships a 9 Volt battery (power supply optional), is available now and has a U.S. Street Price of $122.00.
J. Rockett Audio Designs Releases New Aqueous Chorus
J Rockett Audio Designs announces the release of the Aqueous Chorus, a versatile chorus pedalthat can live in both the vintage era and the modern era with its unique features.
“The Aqueous Chorus is our take on the best of both worlds — vintage bucket brigade character andmodern watery tones” says Chris Van Tassel. Chris continues, “We wanted a chorus that didn’t just soundgood, but felt good to play. With added controls for EQ and gain makeup, it gives players a huge palette ofsounds from subtle vibe textures to full-on rotating speaker effects, vintage and modern chorus soundsthanks to its tilt EQ.”
Aqueous Chorus Features:
- Vintage to modern chorus tones with Tilt EQ shaping (wet signal only)
- Pre-amp section for gain makeup and added feel not typically found in modulation pedals
- Mix control blends chorus and vibe modes, with vibe-only in the last 1/4 rotation
- Depth and Speed controls for subtle movement to extreme modulation
- Rotary-style sounds and lush modulation effects are available with creative settings
- Built with rugged construction and vintage-inspired looks
Specifications:
- 9VDC Negative Tip Power (no internal battery option)
- 28mA Current Draw
The Aqueous Chorus will be available November 6th, 2025 via select dealers for $229.99
Keeley Nocturne Stereo Reverb with 3 Modes!
Andy Timmons' own one-stop reverb shop gets expansive with spring, plate, and more ethereal sounds.
Developed in collaboration with Andy Timmons, the NOCTURNE showcases a brand new reverb space based on our unique Halo delay algorithm. From subtle ambience to cinematic space, the NOCTURNE allows players to create that same expressive, touch-sensitive bloom that trails effortlessly behind every note, without the cross-talk rom echoes.
The NOCTURNE pedal gives you three new reverb modes — Nocturne, Spring, and Plate — each designed to be the guitar and amp’s perfect companion. The Plate reverb is based on our extensive analysis and modeling of the stereo tube plate reverb that was in Austin City Limits studio since the mid-1970s. The Nocturne’s Spring reverb features our finest sounds based on both stand alone reverb tanks and tube amplifier combos. The simple four-knob layout of Tone, Level, Decay, and Modulation makes it easy to shape each gorgeous reverb space. Each reverb mode can be made a preset so you can store your favorite sounds. Alt features include our first pre-delay time control, allowing you to create slapback echo effects.
The NOCTURNE offers a flexible signal path with True or Buffered Bypass, Expression Pedal control, Remote Switching, and MIDI compatibility for up to 72 presets. Whether you’re running mono or stereo, wet/dry, or full wet for parallel rigs, the NOCTURNE adapts easily to any setup. Built on Keeley’s award-winning Core architecture, every component and line of code is tuned to make this reverb feel musical and alive. Operation is easy with the Nocturne – if the indicator LED is blue then it's 'wysiwyg'; the knobs set the tone or level of each reverb mode. If the LED is red, each reverb is a favorite or preset, where you can save the settings for each reverb mode.
Nocturne Reverb Pedal
The Keeley Nocturne reverb pedal introduces a new chapter in the collection of effects developed alongside legendary guitarist Andy Timmons. This versatile reverb pedal provides a wide range of sonic ambience, operating in three modes: Keeley-famous Spring reverb, studio-inspired Plate, and, of course, the immersive Nocturne reverb, derived from Keeley’s unique HALO delay algorithm. Featuring four main control knobs for extensive sonic shaping — Tone, Decay, Level, and Modulation — Nocturne is also equipped with HPF and Pre-Delay alt controls, mono/stereo capabilities, and a host of control jacks for expression pedal control, remote switching, and MIDI compatibility for accessing up to 72 recallable presets. Whether you're seeking the springy bounce of standalone tanks, a vintage sound inspired by the world-famous Austin City Limits Studio stereo tube plate, or the ethereal wash that inspired the pedal's name, the Nocturne delivers pure reverb bliss.
Keeley’s Nocturne: Three Killer Reverbs in A Single Pedal
Effects pioneer Robert Keeley and guitar adventurer Andy Timmons reveal their newest collaboration.
Keeley Electronics’ new Nocturne reverb marks the latest chapter in an ongoing and expanding partnership between Andy Timmons, Robert Keeley, and the Keeley Electronics design group. They first teamed up in 2020 and have since developed effects such as the HALO Dual Echo (which captured Timmons' dual delay sound in a compact pedal) and Timmons’ signature Mk3 Drive. The new Nocturne reverb represents a fascinating new direction in the collaboration.
At its core, the Nocturne offers three distinct reverb modes in a single unit. Its Plate and Spring reverbs are based on bona fide classic sounds, while its titular Nocturne mode takes a fresh approach to reverb and delivers an otherworldly playing experience. It’s incredibly user-friendly, with a simple four-knob control set—Tone, Level, Decay, and Modulation—that makes it easy to shape your reverb space. Each reverb mode can be saved as a preset, so you can store your favorite sounds.
It’s an approachable, powerful pedal that offers instant gratification for just about any guitarist… even players who don’t normally use reverb. And that’s the biggest plot twist in the Nocturne story.
You see, Timmons doesn’t even consider himself a “reverb guy.”
“I've always used echo and delay instead of reverb. That's my ambience, that's my space,” Timmons admits. “Until now, there was never really a reverb that worked for me. I would use delays and try to curate them in the right way. But I had a different sound in my head, and I approached Robert to see if we could make it a reality. Now, my wall has come down for reverb. I just had to wait for the ‘Mr. Right reverb’ I guess,” he laughs.
Timmons’ “Mr. Right” reverb has arrived, and its calling card is the Nocturne reverb mode.
Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door
Amid the pedal’s offerings, many players will view the Nocturne mode as the belle of the ball. It’s an immersive, almost heavenly reverb that sounds great when used sparingly—and sounds even better when it’s generously applied to clean, arpeggiated phrases or textural chords.
The brand-new reverb space is based on Keeley’s unique Halo delay algorithm. From subtle ambience to cinematic space, the Nocturne allows players to create that same expressive, touch-sensitive bloom that trails effortlessly behind every note, without the cross talk from echoes. It features a pre-delay echo that transforms into an expansive and engulfing reverb space. It’s difficult to describe—it simply sounds like it’s from another planet.
As Timmons says, “it creates a reverb from a different perspective. It’s not a usual reverb algorithm. It’s a fresh and different angle. I just want to sit and play in this dreamlike sound all day.”
Not surprisingly, Timmons has immediately put the pedal to creative use: “I've got a collection of songs that I've written—solo pieces called ‘The Outlier Nocturnes’—so I was basically waiting for this pedal. I'm already using it in the studio now that I have the right sound.”
Spring Fever
In designing the Nocturne, Robert Keeley and his team were determined to create a pedal that could satisfy a broad range of tastes. And for many guitarists, the first thing that comes to mind when they think of reverb is the classic reverb-drenched amp tones of the 1960s.
That includes Andy Timmons himself. “I’ll admit that I'm a closet surf guitarist,” he laughs. “I even have a surf record that's been in the can for years… I just haven't released it.When I run the Nocturne in spring mode into my dual showman and a 2x15 Fender cab, it’s just got that sound, man. It’s Dick Dale incarnate.”
Timmons’ personal passion for spring reverb and surf music helped spur the design process—but spring reverbs are fickle beasts, and notoriously difficult to replicate. To fine-tune the pedal’s Spring mode, Keeley worked closely with Aaron Pierce, a key partner in Robert’s design team at Keeley Electronics, and relied on modern technology to capture the vintage spring reverb mojo. “Aaron and I purchased a spring reverb or two and we put them through our audio analyzer. We worked hard to make it sound realistic and very drippy, just like the originals. When it comes to the iconic reverb sounds that we were searching for, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to make it happen. But we finally got some awesome drip going with one, and that's the one I'm most in love with.”
Having harnessed the elusive, authentic spring reverb sound he had been seeking, Keeley and his team were determined to capture another essential reverb flavor for the Nocturne’s third mode: vintage tube-driven plate reverb.
The chase led them to Austin, Texas….
Keeley Electronics Nocturne Reverb with Robert Keeley and Andy Timmons | A REVERB YOU’VE NEVER HEARD BEFORE!
Join Robert Keeley, Andy Timmons, and Aaron Pierce for a deep dive into the creation of the Keeley Electronics Nocturne Reverb—a design shaped by collaboration, experimentation, and a completely new approach to ambient space. In this panel-style conversation, the team breaks down the ideas, sounds, and engineering choices that led to a reverb unlike anything in the Keeley lineup.
Hear the stories, explore the process, and discover why the Nocturne truly is a reverb you’ve never heard before.
A Plateful of History
Tube-driven plate reverb is one of the defining sonic characteristics of classic recordings from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Beginning with the 1957 introduction of the EMT 140 by the German company Elektromesstechnik (EMT), plate reverb quickly became ubiquitous in popular music. Each individual plate reverb has its own subtle flavor—a unique sonic fingerprint. If you’re going to create a modern digital effect based on a vintage unit, it’s crucial to find a great-sounding original specimen.
“The plate is a really exciting part of the story for me,” Keeley admits. “My plate is (based on) the one that they used at Austin City Limits since the mid-’70s. About 10 years ago (Mike Daane) got a hold of it. They (ACL) decided to stop using it to go to a digital system and it was at that point in time where we got to go down with our audio analyzer, the APX 515B, and we could study its frequency response and measure the reverb trails. We modified the frequency response of our reverb so it more closely matched the Austin City Limits plate reverb. Reverbs have a certain resonance. And if you play something percussive like a tom or a snare, you can hear the resonance in the Austin City Limits reverb—it’s a lower frequency than typical.”
This particular plate reverb boasts its own historic provenance. Beginning with an October 1974 performance by Willie Nelson, the Austin City Limits TV program has hosted the crème-de-la-crème of blues, rock and country music artists for decades. Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Lyle Lovett, George Strait, Emmylou Harris, Wilco, Los Lobos, and Dolly Parton are just a few of the artists whose performances were channeled through this very reverb unit.
Timmons was enthused that the Austin City Limits reverb provided the basis for the Nocturne’s plate mode. “Every stereo tube plate reverb is gonna sound a little different, and it’s such an amazing opportunity to have the specific plate that was used on all the Austin City Limits shows for so many years. The design team could do a molecular level study of it with the amazing gear that Robert's got. I think that’s the one that took the most effort and revisions. But once Aaron [Tackett] figured out how to approach the plate, it was really exciting to hear how it turned out.”
HALO AND NOCTURNE—TOGETHER
For all of the technology and analysis that went into creating the pedal, the Nocturne is dead-simple to use: just three easily selectable reverb modes, four control knobs, plus some alt functions if you’re inclined to use them.
“And I'm not one of those that's inclined to do much tweaking,” Timmons admits. “I just want to turn something on and have it inspire me really quickly. That's what this format does so eloquently. It's encouraging, not daunting, and you feel it as soon as you plug in.”
Even though it’s an outgrowth of the Halo delay that Timmons and Keeley collaborated on earlier, Timmons says the Nocturne is designed to be used in conjunction with the Halo. “It's not meant to replace my Halo, but they work incredibly well together. I basically keep the Nocturne always on and I'm blending in the Halo occasionally. I was in the studio three days ago: I’m playing through my Keeley Mark 3 drive, the Halo, then the Nocturne into 2 vintage Marshalls. All the effects are being printed, and I'm listening back to the monitors and thinking, this is the best sound I've ever had! It's such a wonderful place to be, to be that happy with what's happening sonically. So now all I have to do is try to play to the level that the sound is allowing me to play. It's a dreamscape that I have never heard before.”
DIVE DEEPER IF YOU WANT TO
For players that do enjoy tweaking their settings, the Nocturne offers a flexible signal path with True or Buffered Bypass, Expression Pedal control, Remote Switching, and MIDI compatibility for up to 72 presets. Whether you’re running mono or stereo outputs, wet/dry, or full wet for parallel rigs, the Nocturne adapts easily to any setup.
Operation is intuitive with the Nocturne. If the indicator LED is blue then it's “wysiwyg”; the knobs set the tone or level of each reverb mode. If the LED is red, each reverb is a favorite or preset, where you can save the settings for each reverb mode. You can store and recall presets with a dedicated footswitch, and turn trails on/off.
Ultimately, Keeley and his team get the greatest satisfaction from seeing a player focus on playing, rather than tweaking. “These pedals are really near and dear to my heart,” he notes, “especially when it becomes a new platform like the Nocturne. We put a lot of time and effort into making sure that you could just walk up to this unit and not feel intimidated. just go out and have fun making music.”
With the arrival of Keeley’s Nocturne, you might have finally found your own “Mr. Right” reverb. Hear it and feel it for yourself. Plug into a Nocturne, turn up your amp and get inspired.
Keeley Electronics ‘NOCTURNE’ Featuring Andy Timmons’ Signature Reverb
Keeley Electronics NOCTURNE Reverb Developed in collaboration with Andy Timmons, the NOCTURNE showcases a brand new reverb space based on our unique Halo delay algorithm. From subtle ambience to cinematic space, the NOCTURNE allows players to create that same expressive, touch-sensitive bloom that trails effortlessly behind every note, without the cross-talk from echoes.
The NOCTURNE pedal gives you three new reverb modes — Nocturne, Spring, and Plate — each designed to be the guitar and amp’s perfect companion. The Plate reverb is based on our extensive analysis and modeling of the stereo tube plate reverb that was in Austin City Limits studio since the mid-1970s. The Nocturne’s Spring reverb features our finest sounds based on both stand alone reverb tanks and tube amplifier combos. The simple four-knob layout of Tone, Level, Decay, and Modulation makes it easy to shape each gorgeous reverb space. Each reverb mode can be made a preset so you can store your favorite sounds. Alt features include our first pre-delay time control, allowing you to create slapback echo effects.
- YouTube
The NOCTURNE offers a flexible signal path with True or Buffered Bypass, Expression Pedal control, Remote Switching, and MIDI compatibility for up to 72 presets. Whether you’re running mono or stereo, wet/dry, or full wet for parallel rigs, the NOCTURNE adapts easily to any setup. Built on Keeley’s award-winning Core architecture, every component and line of code is tuned to make this reverb feel musical and alive.
Operation is easy with the Nocturne – if the indicator LED is blue then it's 'wysiwyg'; the knobs set the tone or level of each reverb mode. If the LED is red, each reverb is a favorite or preset, where you can save the settings for each reverb mode.
Like every Keeley pedal, the NOCTURNE Andy Timmons Reverb is designed and manufactured in Oklahoma, USA. Engineered for the working musician, and voiced for inspiration.
Features
- A Brand New Reverb -’Nocturne’ based on the Andy Timmons’ signature HALO sound
- Three reverb modes: Nocturne, Spring, Plate
- Intuitive four-knob control layout: Tone, Level, Decay, Modulation
- Store and recall presets with dedicated footswitch
- Trails on/off, True or Buffered Bypass selectable
- Expression and MIDI control with up to 72 preset locations
- Stereo outputs with Wet+Dry or Wet-only operation
- Made in the USA
- $269 USD
Dealer Contact:
Danny Black, Sales Director • Phone: 1-405-341-2025 • Email: dealer@rkfx.com Visit the Keeley Electronics website, on YouTube and on Facebook and Instagram.
Guitarist Steve Morse: “I'm a Student of Everything"
If you were reading guitar magazines in the ’90s, you’re familiar with Steve Morse’s “Open Ear” column. Running for many years in Guitar (née Guitar for the Practicing Musician), Morse shared his thoughts on session work, practice routines, practical tips for guitarists, and various other parts of his life. For years before I’d ever heard a note of his playing, I read his wisdom monthly.
With every column was a short bio that began, “Steve Morse is one of the busiest guitarists in the industry.” At the time, that busy-ness played out in his writing—Steve was very active. Eventually digging into his background, I learned just how prolific he really was.
Morse first caught ears with the Dixie Dregs—whose origin story reached back to their time as students at the University of Miami (alongside luminaries like Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, and Hiram Bullock), where wunderkind headed after leaving high school early. Together, they assembled a barn-burning blend of ’70s Southern rock, jazz, and bluegrass.
When the Dregs ran their course, Morse joined Kansas. And after that, he joined Deep Purple. (By the time they parted ways in 2022, he was Purple’s longest-running guitarist.) In 1985, he introduced the Steve Morse Band, along the way racking up a list of collabs and guest spots that’ll make your head spin.
Offstage and amidst musical globetrotting, his drive has kept him working well beyond the fretboard, and he has, at times, pursued a career as a commercial airline pilot—he still flies to this day—and he currently owns and oversees the daily operations of a small Florida hay farm.
All the while, the music never stopped. His latest Steve Morse Band release, Triangulation, featuring bassist Dave LaRue and drummer Van Romaine, is a high-flying shredathon that treats glorious rock melody and proggy twists and turns with equally explosive abandon. Below the surface, there’s a heavier backstory, the album’s origin tracing back to the passing of Morse’s wife Janine in 2024, and Morse in a physical battle with arthritis that has been slowly deteriorating his technique. So it is, then, that his first solo record since 2009’s Out Standing in Their Field stands as a testament to the power of music, of the human spirit, and, ultimately, of Morse’s hard work and perseverance. It’s also a coming together of sorts for the band as well as for the friends the guitarist has gathered as guests, which include Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, and Morse’s son, Kevin.
We caught up with Morse while he was on tour in New Jersey to have an inspiring talk about Triangulation, his guitar habits, and the importance of hard work.
Steve Morse’s Gear
Guitars
- Ernie Ball Music Man Steve Morse Signature
- Buscarino custom classical guitar
Amps
- Engl Steve Morse Signature E656 100-watt head
- Engl Steve Morse Signature 20 E658 20-watt combo
Strings and Picks
- Ernie Ball Paradigm Slinky strings (.009–.042)
- Ernie Ball Heavy Nylon picks
Effects
- TC Electronic Polytune
- Keeley Compressor
- TC Electronic Flashback (x3) with Steve Morse Delay TonePrint
- GigRig Wetter Box
- Ernie Ball volume pedal
- Roland GK-3 pickup
- Roland GR-55 Guitar Synthesizer
So this is the first new music you put your name on since 2009. You’re back with Dave LaRue and Van Romaine, and then you have a couple collaborators on here. And let’s start by talking about the collabs. You’ve got Eric Johnson, John Petrucci, and, of course, your son, Kevin. How did those collaborators end up on the record?
Steve Morse: It was kind of late in the game. We’d already been recording the album. I felt like, at this rate of putting out one every 16 years, that I was going to be pretty old by the time the next one rolls around, so that could be it. I have some old friends that’re just amazing guitar players, and I hate to ask them for favors, but I finally broke down and did. When it comes to favors from friends, even if it’s not convenient for them, they will probably say yes, so I felt guilty about doing it. But it turned out everybody, I think, had a good time.
The Eric Johnson tune, “TexUS,” I wrote in the style of that late-’70s sound that I heard him playing—melodic rock, not jazzy at all, just straight down the middle but with a lot of melody.
“Triangulation,” the John Petrucci tune, was also arranged for him, like “you play this part, I’ll play this part.” John doesn’t do anything halfway. He was playing the song super perfect, as usual, right in the middle of just being as busy as he’s ever been with Portnoy back in the band.
The third tune with my son, Kevin, we played at my wife's memorial. He, on his own, volunteered to make a recording of it. It grew organically. It starts off real lonely and minor key, I was imitating an oboe with the electric guitar and playing classical at the very beginning, and then Kevin comes in and it keeps slowly growing from there.
Obviously there’s a much greater significance on that song, but this isn't the first time you collaborated with Kevin. What’s it like to have your son as part of your records? How did he get involved?
Morse: Well, it’s the biggest deal. I’ve been one of those people that never pushed music on him. Of course, if I owned a 7-Eleven, I would have him come in and learn by working here. Yes, you’re my son, but you still have to work, you know? That’s what dads do.
I think it really pushed him to have his own identity. But we’re planning on doing more music in the future.
Why was now the time to make a new record?
Morse: I always have ideas, and I’m always working on ideas. After my wife died, there was no big project coming up. There was nothing. I was stuck in this sort of limbo. I just decided to start working on an album. Dave [LaRue] lives in the same town as I do. He would come over and be the guinea pig for the new bass and guitar parts.
We made a template of each song by working on the parts, sitting next to each other in the studio, and making fine adjustments and constant editing. Everybody had the same template and tempo to work on their parts.
When you were on Rick Beato’s podcast, something that caught my attention was you were talking about coping with arthritis. When did that first start affecting you?
Morse: I was in Purple, and it was killing me then, probably eight or 10 years ago. It just got to the point where I’ve tried every cure there is. In fact, I just did a bunch of radiation treatments; it’s supposed to help the inflammation and pain.
I just have a genetic predisposition, but I’m doing more things. I’m eating better and concentrating on an anti-inflammatory diet and all these cures, plasma injections and cortisone injections, the radiation, every supplement known to man. Obviously, you can’t cure it.
“Imagine writing, and they say, ‘You’ve got a six-year-old’s vocabulary.’ How do you do it? With music, it involves making artful placement of things.”
On the record, you sound like you have full control of your technique. I think it’s great that you talk about it because it’s something that so many players deal with.
Morse: It reduces my vocabulary, and I hate that, but there’s nothing I can do. Imagine writing, and they say, “You’ve got a six-year-old’s vocabulary.” How do you do it? With music, it involves making artful placement of things. So there’s a lot of time spent finding the ideal phrase.
Something that’s really interested me about your career is that you’ve had other professional trajectories. You were a commercial airline pilot. Is that something you still do?
Morse: Yeah, I fly all the time. I’ve never stopped flying.
And you also own a farm, right? Is that an active business?
Morse: Yeah, it’s small, like 56 acres. It’s open grass hayfields. I also have a little runway for the airplanes.
I had helpers when I first took this over, but it just didn’t go well, so I just do everything myself. I’ve scaled down to a manageable level of hay production. I cut the hay first, then ted it with a fluffer, then rake it into rows, and then bail it into square bales and round bales. I have to pick up the bales and put them all in my hay barn to keep them from spoiling when the rains come. And then I deliver them over the winter to my customers that are nearby using my tractor and big wagons. The people on my road hate me because I go slow—I can’t go fast.
How do these parts of your life—flying and running your farm—influence your art? And how important is it to have a life outside of music?
Morse: That’s cool that you’re touching on that. I think it’s very important, because you have more to say with the music if you have a life outside of it.
The biggest part of my extracurricular thing is fixing stuff because I’ve got old hay equipment, old machines—like my lifts that I use to cut the trees, it puts me 70 feet in the air and it’s got a whole level of maintenance that it needs—and I have to learn the systems for each one. So, a lot of my life is spent looking for manuals and looking for sources of parts and learning hydraulics and learning the way that electrical systems work, so that I can basically fix everything.
Every once in a while, I have to ask for help. Like, if I’m rebuilding a cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder is really big, I can’t do it. I have to take it to the shop, and that bugs me.
But my main thing is just that I’m known as the handyman. I’ve fixed stuff all around the farm. Two other families live there—my wife’s mother and my stepdaughter—and they live in the other two houses on the farm, so I have to keep those up and then cut the grass for everybody.
“A lot of my life is spent looking for manuals and looking for sources of parts.”
So I work all day, basically. I don’t wake up early, but when I do wake up, I just go straight outside and start working until dark. Then I’ll work on music after dinner.
I think it’s super important, because when I’m doing laps in the tractor, cutting weeds or whatever, I’m thinking about stuff. And I’m always experimenting with things in my mind. Melodies and parts come to mind that I've been working on recently, and I just kick it around.
I’ve never been bored. I remember it as a kid. When I was trapped somewhere, in school or something, I remember that it was a horrible, horrible feeling.
When I’m at a gig and I walk by and see a guy welding something in back, I stop and ask questions: How are you doing that? Did you preheat that? Does that make it crack? I’m a student of everything.
Have you always been into fixing things?
Morse: Well, it’s necessity. I’d see my dad doing his thing in the workshop, and part of me paying off my guitar and amplifier was to paint the house and do manual labor outside—cutting the lawn and shoveling snow. So there was always stuff to do that gets you familiar with the real world.
But I wasn’t good at mechanic-ing until it became a matter of necessity. My first car, the radiator hose blew and I was out on the interstate and I hiked over to a store. I bought a radiator return hose, and I was like, “Wow, I fixed my car and made it home.”
“Everything that breaks gives you an opportunity to learn.”
After that, it was me pulling the band trailer with my station wagon forever and never having a trip without a mechanical problem, so I got more and more used to that and more and more interested in the science of things. And as an airplane pilot, I think the safest way to fly is to understand every system on the aircraft. Part of me getting ready for my airline career involved getting my mechanic’s license for working on aircrafts—that made me more employable, just one of the things you had to put in your resume back then.
Everything that breaks gives you an opportunity to learn. But man it feels good when it works right.
With all this work on your plate everyday, it makes me very curious about your daily guitar habits.
Morse: It depends on the day. I try to rotate things. People that are in training, they might do cardio one day and heavy lifting the next day and cross training another day. I do a mix between technique, discovery and writing—discovery could be transcribing if you’re not into composing—and, of course, playing for gratification, which means playing along with something and exercising what you’re doing. But the technical part is probably what I concentrate the most on, because it gets harder and harder to make things work. And now I have to keep up a technique where I pick with two fingers and a thumb and flex a little bit of my wrist, and a technique holding the pick the same way with a stiff wrist when that starts to really hurt. And when I can’t grasp the pick any more, I hold it with the side of my thumb using a stiff wrist also. There’s a lot of challenges, but I have a strong desire to keep playing as long as possible.