EarthQuaker Devices Announces the Scrolls Bass Odyssey, A Bass Rig in a Box That Takes Your Tone From Motown to Metal With the Click of a Button…

Bassists are historically a painfully underserved demographic when it comes to new pedal releases in general, let alone ones that are truly exciting and groundbreaking.

But even the bass players get lucky sometimes.

And today is their lucky day, because the insatiable tonesmiths at EarthQuaker Devices have released the Scrolls Bass Odyssey—a powerful, modern tool capable of shaping any bass signal to match virtually any bass and amp combination imaginable.

Essentially, Scrolls is a sonic pilgrimage through the entire universe of electric bass tone. From Motown to Metal and everywhere between and beyond.

It all started when legendary bassist Kentaro Nakao, best known for his work with ’90s Japanese rock band Number Girl, challenged EarthQuaker Devices to capture the vast history of vintage and modern bass tones in a single, portable form factor. Ultimately, Nakao wanted the ability to summon any bass sound he needed, no matter where in the world he was playing and regardless of the other gear at his disposal.

“I am constantly playing shows in every type of venue you can imagine, so having my sound in a portable rig is a must—that’s why I’ve been a big believer in preamps for a long time,” Nakao explained. “I’ve realized that what’s most important to me is a wide range of EQ control and the ability to shape overdriven tones.”

The pedal’s Drive is a rich, tube amp-like distortion that was inspired by a rare, little known pedal from Nakao’s personal collection. Key amongst the Drive channel’s features are the Blend and Bandwidth controls that are on tap to ensure the low-end response remains intact. 

The EQ channel boasts a full suite of active, audiophile-quality controls. The secret weapon of the EQ is the Variable Frequency control—a feature that enables players to cut or boost frequencies from around 20 Hz to 10 kHz. It’s the perfect tool for cutting out the mud and boosting the high-end.

“When we were working on Scrolls, I wanted the EQ channel to be totally transparent when the knobs are set at 12 o’clock, so the output sounds exactly like the clean signal coming in,” Nakao revealed. “This keeps my bass sounding like my bass, while giving me the ability to enhance its natural tonal qualities and make adjustments across a full frequency spectrum.”

Additionally, the EQ side of Scrolls features three push buttons for one-click on-demand tone sculpting. The Deep button adds 80 Hz boost for booming, but clear low end. The Process button scoops the mids and instantly produces a modern tone that is punchy, dynamic, and defined. Finally, a quick press of the Bright button activates 5 kHz boost to add articulation and attack.

Ideal for use in complex setups with multiple signal paths, Scrolls features three outputs that all work simultaneously. There’s a buffered parallel out for sending clean signal to an external destination like an amp, tuner, DI, or other effects; a balanced XLR out to run Scrolls directly to front of house or into a recording interface; and finally a good-old fashioned ¼” output for your amp.

Scrolls also features an effects loop that lives between the Drive and EQ channels.

“The effects loop is really designed so that Scrolls can function as the brains of your pedalboard,” EarthQuaker Devices Founder & President Jamie Stillman explained. “Bassists can place modulation, time-based, or any other effects that they’d normally place after their dirt pedals (including more dirt pedals) after the Drive channel, while still retaining all the tone-shaping benefits the EQ channel offers.”

Much like the speaker cab simulations EarthQuaker has worked into their Easy Listening and ZEQD-Pre pedals, the signal from the XLR out on Scrolls includes just a splash of discrete analog filtering to give it some amp-like-character. No menu diving or digital modeling required.

“Most XLR outs tend to have a harsh top end that sounds nothing like what is coming out of the amp, especially when dirt is involved,” Stillman said. “I thought it would be useful to add a bit of natural filtering so what is sent to the front of house is much closer to what is coming out of the amp.”

If you’re wondering whether or not Scrolls is for you, here’s an easy way to tell. Ask yourself the following questions: Do you play bass? Would you like to have a pedal that can make your bass sound like virtually any bass/amp combo with the click of a button and the turn of a knob or two? Would you like a pedal that’s compact and versatile enough to be the only thing you need to play a session or show other than a bass if that’s all you wanted to bring?

If you answered yes to even just one of those questions, then you’re exactly who Scrolls is for.

Each and every Scrolls is all-analog, true bypass, and built one-at-a-time by credentialed professionals at the EarthQuaker Devices Tone Wellness Clinic under the malt gray skies of Akron, Ohio.

Scrolls Bass Odyssey is available now wherever EarthQuaker Devices are sold.

As an homage to classic single pickup basses of the past the V1 Acinonyx 5 features a solitary PolyVox “pickup” (technically pickupS – 6 total coils under the cover) placed for maximum versatility. A volume and a wide range tone offer a broad palette of rich passive sounds and the single asymmetrical aperture captures all the organic goodness that a soft maple body with a classic maple/EIR neck can bring. Anything from super dark synth-y sub vibes to clean and clear chime are all available with nary a blurry, undefined note to be found.

The fingerboard features a compound radius for optimal even playability up and down the neck and the profile fits the hand like an old, broken-in glove.

Technical Details:
• Body Finish: Polyester
• Neck Finish: Urethane Satin Satin Lacquer
• Weight: 6.90 lbs average 7 lbs
• Body Wood: soft maple
• Neck Wood: hard maple
• Neck Shape: Classic Medium Slim
• Neck Dimensions: ~.810” @ 1st fret – .910” @ 15th fret
• Fingerboard Wood: Indian Rosewood
• Fingerboard Radius: 7.5” – 14”
• Fingerboard Inlays: Dots
• Scale Length: 30.7”
• Width at Nut: 1.725”
• Nut Material: Bone
• Frets: StewMac #147 Fretwire (Narrow/Medium) – Nickel/Silver
• Pickups: 1 Nordstrand PolyVox 5
• Controls: 1 Volume, 1 wide range Tone

Price starting at $4995

For more information, visit online at nordstrandaudio.com/

Neural DSP Introduces Darkglass® Ultimate – Expanding the Iconic Darkglass Sound into a Complete Creative Platform for Bass…

Neural DSP announced Darkglass Ultimate, a revamped plugin that brings the iconic Darkglass sound into a complete, studio-ready bass rig. Available as a free update for existing Darkglass Ultra users, it builds on Darkglass Ultra by combining Darkglass’ defining tones with a full signal chain and creative tools, enabling players to move from initial idea to finished, record-ready sounds all within one plugin.

The Darkglass sound has defined modern bass tone for more than a decade, with its powerful low end, clarity, and unmistakable character. Neural DSP first brought that sound into the digital domain in 2018, capturing the essence of the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra preamps inside a plugin. With this release, Darkglass Ultra evolves into a creative platform for bass – extending beyond preamp modeling into a signal chain designed for modern bass workflows.

“With Darkglass Ultimate, we’re expanding the Darkglass sound into something more comprehensive,” said François Barrillon, Lead Product Manager – Plugins, Neural DSP. “For many players, that sound has been a reliable starting point – something they shape around and build on. This release brings more of that process into the same place, so you can experiment, refine, and carry a sound further without stepping outside of it – while preserving the clarity, power, and character that define Darkglass.”

The Darkglass Sound, Fully Unleashed

At the core of Darkglass Ultimate are the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra – two circuits that have shaped modern bass tone.

The B7K Ultra delivers a tight, aggressive drive with controlled low end and clear articulation, while the Vintage Ultra introduces a warmer, more rounded character inspired by classic tube amplification. Together, they offer a wide tonal range that remains consistent, responsive, and immediately usable in a mix.

Surrounding the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra is a signal chain designed to support the entire process of tone creation:

• Pre-effects including compressor, auto-wah, octaver, and fuzz for shaping dynamics and character
• Post-effects such as chorus and delay
• Darkglass cabinet simulations including DG210C 2×10 and DG810ES 8×10 with flexible microphone positioning
• A 9-band graphic EQ designed specifically for shaping bass tone
• Integrated tools including transpose, tuner, metronome, and a curated selection of production-ready presets

This extends the Darkglass sound beyond the B7K Ultra and Vintage Ultra into an all-in-one bass toolkit – combining its defining tones with the tools needed to shape, refine, and bring sounds to completion.

“Darkglass Ultimate represents how we continue to build on what players already know and love,” said Douglas Castro, CEO and Co-Founder of Neural DSP. “We’ve taken the core Darkglass tones and expanded them into a more complete setup, bringing more of the signal chain within a single environment and making the process of shaping and developing a sound more fluid – so players can spend less time managing their tone and more time creating with it.”

To learn more and purchase Darkglass Ultimate, visit neuraldsp.com/darkglass-ultimate. A 14-day free trial is available.

Darkglass® Electronics announces the launch of the Anagram Marketplace, a significant expansion of its Anagram™ bass platform, introducing a growing ecosystem of third-party plugins and tools. Designed to extend the capabilities of Anagram beyond its original feature set, the Anagram Marketplace enables users to access, share, and integrate new sounds and processing tools while opening the platform to trusted developers, engineers, producers, and sound designers. By bridging the gap between studio-based workflows and real-world performance environments, the Anagram Marketplace positions Anagram as an evolving platform shaped by its user community.

Think of it like an App Store. Building on Anagram’s core processing architecture, including its hexacore processor and 32-bit/48kHz audio engine, the Anagram Marketplace expands the system’s functional scope by enabling support for external plugins that were previously limited to desktop environments. At the time of launch, the Anagram Marketplace has already partnered with some established plug-in developers like Nembrini Audio, Bogren Digital, and DoGood Sounds.

The Anagram Marketplace complements Anagram’s existing blocks-based architecture, where users can construct signal chains in series or parallel configurations. With the addition of partner-developed plugins and processing blocks, users gain access to an expanding library of tools that can be incorporated into their existing signal paths. This approach extends the platform’s flexibility over time, allowing workflows and signal chains to evolve as new tools and ideas are introduced.

From a user experience perspective, the Anagram Marketplace integrates into the broader Anagram ecosystem, where its high-resolution touch display and control modes – Preset, Scene, and Stomp -continue to provide direct access to signal chains and parameter control. As new plugins and blocks become available, users can incorporate them into familiar control structures without disrupting established workflows, supporting a streamlined approach to exploration and implementation.

The introduction of the Anagram Marketplace also reinforces Anagram’s integration with the wider Darkglass ecosystem. Alongside access to partner-created plugins, Darkglass will continue to deliver free software updates, including new blocks, features, and ongoing performance improvements. Together, these updates and the Anagram Marketplace ecosystem create a platform that continuously expands, ensuring users have access to new tools and capabilities without requiring added hardware.

In practical use, the Anagram Marketplace enables musicians, producers, and content creators to extend their setups with new processing tools while keeping a consistent workflow across studio, rehearsal, and live environments. By enabling access to a broader range of plugins and community-driven development, the platform supports faster iteration, expanded creative options, and a more connected approach to sound design and performance.

The Anagram Marketplace is available now to Anagram users. For more information, visit www.darkglass.com.

The Future Impact V4 and V4 VIP are already incredibly versatile bass synth pedals –designed for players rather than programmers. The V4.5 upgrade offers even greater value while retaining the same simplicity of operation. Some of the new features include:

•  99 DX7 FM song-ready presets have been added to the existing 99 Virtual Analogue presets library

•  Setlist Mode to easily program a performance list without a computer

•  Zero Latency has been added as a third mode to the existing Speed and Accuracy modes

The FM library draws heavily from iconic ‘80s and ‘90s recordings made with the Yamaha DX7 bass: “Take on Me,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Take My Breath Away,” “Broken Wings,” and many more. There are also funky bass, smooth bass, double bass, Stratocaster emulation, and a selection of classic DX7 sounds —church organ, tubular bells, pan pipe, and harmonica, to name a few. 

You can also explore the tens of thousands of other FM patches out in the world and upload them using the 4.5 Editor software for Windows or Mac. The only caveat is to not to get too lost down that rabbit trail! 

While fully loaded with presets galore, you can still add and edit your own so you’re not locked into someone else’s palette choices.

In addition to producing synthesizer sounds such as basses, leads, and pads, the Future Impact can also function as an octaver, chorus, flanger, phaser, distortion, envelope filter, traditional wah-wah, tremolo, reverb, etc. Plus, there’s a built-in tuner. With so much functionality, you can potentially replace an entire pedalboard of dedicated single-effect pedals. 

The Future Impact is brought to you by Andras Szalay, the original designer of the legendary Akai Deep Impact pedal. It is the world’s fastest and most reliable tracking platform for professionals and hobbyists alike.

For full details, head over here: www.panda-audio.com/future-impact-v4-vip

For an overview and sound samples:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLJSdy3Wf8c

Exclusive U.S. distribution by Tech 21 USA, Inc.