La Grotte is a spring reverb pedal built jointly by French effects maker Anasounds and Third Man Hardware, the gear arm of Jack White's Third Man Records. Unlike most reverb pedals, it does not model springs in software: it is an analog pedal with three real mechanical springs inside its enclosure, giving an authentic spring reverb with an extra-long decay12. White's stated goal was a compact, fully mechanical spring reverb pedal for his pedalboard that would work with any amp1.
Guitar.com's reviewer called it "an authentic spring reverb in a pedal, but so much more besides," adding that "this is a pedal that invites you to get weird"1. Beyond the springs themselves, the pedal carries an internal preamp based on Tampco's Tone Oven, which shapes both the dry and wet sides of the signal34.
An authentic spring reverb in a pedal
The core of La Grotte is a real spring tank with three mechanical springs, visible through a viewport in the enclosure. That viewport reveals the third spring, which is there for more complex vibrations3. According to Jack White, that third spring was the breakthrough of the design: "With the La Grotte pedal, it was the addition of the third spring that really brought this sounds alive and gave us the ability to have that long decay from a real spring in a small box"2.
The pedal is not limited to guitar. It can be used with electric guitar, bass guitar, electronic keyboards, or as a studio tool5. MusicRadar suggested styles from soul and post-rock to reggae, blues and pop as places where the added character of an analog spring would benefit the music5.
The enclosure is chunky, with a height of 144mm3. It comes in two finish options, both in the black and yellow of Third Man's collaborations, plus a limited edition swirl finish exclusive to Third Man Records1. Gearnews also reported a limited edition yellow version6.
The springs are physical, so they respond to physical shock. Guitar.com's reviewer found the kick pad easy to trigger by accident, and noted that the springs jangle even with the pedal bypassed1.
The controls: Dry, Wet and a two-band reverb EQ
The outer controls are Dry, Wet, Low and High3. The two-band EQ affects only the reverb itself, letting you emphasize the high or low frequencies that resonate in the springs14.
The Dry and Wet knobs do more than set levels. The Dry knob determines the level of the dry signal and also the level of an internal preamp1; Guitar World describes the Dry and Wet knobs as controlling the preamp gain2. MusicRadar highlighted the drive and boost character of the Dry knob, which elevates the signal sent to the springs and can yield dramatic results5. The Wet control adds gain to the reverbed sound in addition to level1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dry | Sets dry signal level and the level of the internal preamp1 |
| Wet | Sets reverb level and adds gain to the reverbed sound1 |
| Low | Low band of the reverb-only EQ13 |
| High | High band of the reverb-only EQ13 |
The preamp, based on Tampco's Tone Oven34, is a big part of the pedal's character. Guitar.com's reviewer found it "impressively punchy," reporting that it "quickly makes even the cleanest of amps sound dirty" and tips overdriven sounds into filth while retaining impressive clarity, with a massive level boost and lots of volume on tap1.
What reviewers said
Reviews were positive across the board. Guitar.com rated it 9 out of 10, praising "wonderfully authentic spring reverb sounds," "hugely versatile" range and that punchy preamp, with the main criticism being the ease of knocking the kick pad by accident1. On the classic spring setting, the reviewer found "the depth and lushness of the sound is so much more alive and vibrant than your bog standard digital spring setting"1.
Guitar World, listing La Grotte among the best new pedals of the 2020s, wrote that "both the sonics and the features are brilliant," calling it wild, unmissable and worth it overall48. Guitar Pedal X, comparing true spring tank reverberators, called it "the most appealing solution for me, both in terms of feature set, but also in terms of format and aesthetics"3.
For players chasing stranger sounds, Guitar.com found that with Wet full up and the low frequencies emphasized, the pedal creates "gloriously dense self-oscillating soundscapes, as weird and atmospheric as a genuine spring sound could get"1.
Jack White and La Grotte
La Grotte is the result of almost four years of collaboration between Third Man Hardware and Anasounds2. The project began when White got his hands on an Anasounds element reverb, and the final version was approved by NAMM 20242. White has said the first thousand pedals took 400 hours of development and some 9,500 hours of production5.
Third Man Hardware is the music gear offshoot of Jack White's Third Man Records, and its collaborations, including partners like Donner, Fender, MXR and Anasounds, have nearly all sported the contrasting yellows and blacks and symbolic pattern motifs that La Grotte carries9. For more on the effect type itself, see reverb pedals.
Videos
Reverb
Tone Factory
60 Cycle Hum
Questions
Is La Grotte a real spring reverb?
Yes. La Grotte is an analog spring reverb pedal with three actual mechanical springs inside the enclosure, visible through a viewport in the top. It is not a digital emulation: the reverb comes from real springs vibrating, with an extra third spring in the tank for more complex vibrations and a longer decay.
How many springs does La Grotte have?
Three. Two springs do the usual spring-tank work and a third spring sits in the mix for more complex vibrations. According to Jack White, it was the addition of that third spring that brought the sound alive and gave the pedal its long decay from a real spring in a small box.
Is La Grotte true bypass?
It can run in either true bypass or buffered mode. In true bypass the reverb is shut off abruptly when the pedal is switched off, while in buffered mode the reverb tails die with elegance. Note that the springs can still jangle audibly even when the pedal is bypassed.
How much does La Grotte cost?
The standard version launched at $299, with a limited-edition version in a different finish at $349, sold exclusively through Third Man's Reverb shop. Guitar World later listed the price as $300. UK pricing was listed as £300 standard and £350 for the limited edition.
How big is the La Grotte pedal?
It is a chunky enclosure a little under 5 by 6 inches and about an inch and a half deep, with a height of 144mm including the springs and controls. It is noticeably larger than a typical compact pedal, which is the tradeoff for housing a real spring tank.
Do the springs still jangle when the pedal is bypassed?
Yes. Guitar.com's reviewer found the springs jangle even with the pedal bypassed, and also noted the kick pad is easy to trigger by accident. If you stomp or bump the pedal, the physical springs respond whether the effect is on or not.
Sources (9)
- Anasounds/Third Man Hardware La Grotte review, Guitar.com, 2024-10-07
- Jack White's Third Man Hardware & Anasounds debut La Grotte, Guitar World, 2024-08-29
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-12
- Guitar World's 30 favorite guitar pedals from the past 5 years, Guitar World, 2025-06-02
- “It's been a lifetime of searching for a small spring reverb effect unit that could be used as a stompbox onstage or in the studio”: Third Man Hardware and Anasounds unveil La Grotte, a Jack White reverb pedal with real springs in the tank, MusicRadar, 2024-08-30
- Guitar Gear Gems: La Grotte Jack White spring reverb, gearnews.com, 2024-09-03
- “Conjuring nightmarish soundscapes through a sinister blend of distortion and synthesis”: Jack White's Third Man Hardware teams up with Eventide on Knife Drop, Guitar World, 2024-10-29
- The Story Of The Coppersound/Third Man Triplegraph, Delicious Audio, 2020-10-09
- Anasounds La Grotte Analog Spring Reverb review, Guitar World, 2024-11-06
