Aspri Acero/Clásico Acoustic Reverb review

Mechanical reverb for your acoustic

  • £54.99
  • $99
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It proved an easy fit on our Alhambra classical, though slightly trickier on our Martin dreadnought

MusicRadar Verdict

If you've ever thought it would be nice to have some reverb while you're strumming your guitar around the campfire, this is for you. Otherwise, it's hardly essential.

Pros

  • +

    Yup, it works!

Cons

  • -

    Does compromise your acoustic sound. Looks and practicality are certain to divide opinion.

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Older readers might be suffering from a case of déjà vu - this product first appeared back in 1988, and disappeared by the mid 90s. But fear not, it's not you: the Aspri Acoustic Reverb is indeed back for 2013.

What is it? Essentially, it's a plastic-shrouded three-spring reverb tank that attaches under the strings and is held in place at the base of the guitar. It fits in a couple of minutes, and can be removed even more quickly.

"You get an easily audible hall-like reverb emanating from those springs"

Three metal inverted T-shaped 'pickup' legs sit under the strings and butt right up to the saddle. There are two versions: one for steel-strings, the other for nylons (the only difference seems to be slightly wider spacing of those 'pickups').

It proved an easy fit on our Alhambra classical, though slightly trickier on the angled compensation saddle of our Martin dreadnought.

Sounds

The unit isn't heavy, but it is weighty enough to subtly change the seated balance of our test guitars. The pickup legs sit right under the strings, and impart a slight metallic edge and a little loss of body to the tonality.

In return, you get an easily audible hall-like reverb emanating from those springs. We preferred how it sounded on our classic guitar compared with a steel-stringer.

Dave Burrluck
Dave Burrluck

Dave Burrluck is one of the world’s most experienced guitar journalists, who started writing back in the '80s for International Musician and Recording World, co-founded The Guitar Magazine and has been the Gear Reviews Editor of Guitarist magazine for the past two decades. Along the way, Dave has been the sole author of The PRS Guitar Book and The Player's Guide to Guitar Maintenance as well as contributing to numerous other books on the electric guitar. Dave is an active gigging and recording musician and still finds time to make, repair and mod guitars, not least for Guitarist’s The Mod Squad.