The Laney Black Country Customs Secret Path is a digital reverb pedal from UK amp maker Laney, part of the Black Country Customs series of pedals1. It offers three reverb settings for guitar: Spring, Plate, and "The Secret Path", a large hall reverb with an optional shimmer setting1.
The Spring and Plate settings are described as crafted reverbs reminiscent of the heyday of classic amp and studio tones, combined with modern sound quality and reliability1. Beyond the three modes, the pedal carries stereo outputs and support for an optional expression pedal1.
Spring, Plate and The Secret Path modes
The pedal's three modes cover the classic reverb bases. Spring and Plate are built as takes on the tones players know from vintage amps and studio plates, while The Secret Path is a large hall reverb with an optional shimmer setting1.
| Mode | What it is |
|---|---|
| Spring | Crafted reverb reminiscent of classic amp tones1 |
| Plate | Crafted reverb reminiscent of classic studio tones1 |
| The Secret Path | Large hall reverb with optional shimmer1 |
A tri color LED gives a clear visual reference to which mode the pedal is running in, which Laney designed with dark stages in mind1.
Controls and hidden parameters
The top-panel controls are Pre-delay, Volume, Size, and Tone1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Pre-delay | Sets the time before the reverb begins1 |
| Volume | Sets the reverb level1 |
| Size | Sets the size of the reverb space1 |
| Tone | Shapes the reverb's tonal character1 |
The pedal also has hidden parameters. Holding the edit button gives access to additional control adjustments, such as the intensity of the shimmer on the reverb signal, and determines how the optional expression pedal reacts in real time, including settings for the overall wet/dry mix and the modulation/reverb mix1.
Enhance mode
Holding down the pedal's smart switch engages "enhance mode"1. This offers additional tones: a modulation effect added to the Spring and Plate settings, and a shimmer setting added to The Secret Path setting1. For a player, this means one pedal covers plain vintage-style reverbs and, with a long press, more ambient modulated and shimmer textures without adding another pedal.
Switching and stereo use
Laney takes care in designing a switching system that is totally silent in operation, so engaging the pedal produces no clicks or pops1. The stereo outputs let the pedal run into two amps or a stereo setup1.
Where it sits in the Black Country Customs range
The Secret Path belongs to Laney's Black Country Customs series of pedals1. Other pedals in the range include the Difference Engine delay, which emulates three eras of delay (Analog tape echo, Digital and Dynamic) and includes presets in the style of players such as EVH, Slash and Andy Summers2, and the Spiral Array chorus2.
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Questions
Does the Laney Secret Path have a shimmer setting?
Yes, but only in enhance mode. Holding the smart switch engages enhance mode, which adds a shimmer setting to The Secret Path hall reverb and modulation to the Spring and Plate settings. The intensity of the shimmer can be adjusted through the edit button's hidden parameters.
What is enhance mode on the Laney Secret Path?
Enhance mode is a hidden mode engaged by holding down the pedal's smart switch. It adds extra tones to the three base settings: modulation on Spring and Plate, and a shimmer setting on The Secret Path hall reverb. A tri colour LED shows which mode the pedal is running in.
Can the Secret Path be used in stereo?
Yes. The Secret Path has stereo outputs, so it can run into two amps or a stereo effects loop. This is one of the additional features the pedal offers beyond its three reverb modes.
Does the Laney Secret Path support an expression pedal?
Yes. An optional expression pedal can be connected and reacts in real time. Through the edit button's hidden parameters you can set what it controls, such as the overall wet/dry mix or the modulation/reverb mix.
Is the Laney Secret Path a digital or analog reverb?
It is a digital reverb pedal. It belongs to Laney's Black Country Customs series and offers three settings: Spring, Plate and The Secret Path, a large hall reverb. The Spring and Plate settings aim for classic amp and studio reverb tones.
Sources (2)
- Laney Black Country Custom Secret Path Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2019-03-05
- Laney Black Country The Difference Engine Delay, Delicious Audio, 2023-01-16
