The Third Man Hardware La Grotte is an analog spring reverb pedal made in collaboration between Jack White's Third Man Hardware and the French effects maker Anasounds, launched in August 2024123. Where most spring reverb pedals hide their tank inside the box, La Grotte puts three real mechanical springs in the enclosure, with a plexiglass faceplate so you can watch them vibrate as you play45. Anasounds describes it as an "all-in-one" spring reverb, designed in close collaboration with Third Man Hardware and Jack White6.
A spring reverb with three real springs
La Grotte is a reverb that Anasounds' manual describes as "both analog and mechanical"7. There is no digital algorithm: the reverb comes from a three-spring tank built into the pedal body, which Guitar World's reviewer Paul Riario called a "100% analog and mechanical spring reverb with a built-in 3-spring tank"5. The tank itself is a quality Accutronics/Belton unit9.
The third spring is the heart of the design. MusicRadar reported that the pedal "packs an incredible three springs into its enclosure for super-authentic spring reverb with an extra-long decay"4, and Guitar World's news coverage quoted the view that "it was the addition of the third spring that really brought this sounds alive and gave us the" long decay of a real spring in a small box8. Delicious Audio noted that the three springs give "a more dense and modern sound compared to classic spring reverbs"3.
The enclosure is built to show the mechanism off. Guitar World's reviewer found "a ruggedly built, one-of-a-kind analog spring reverb with a visually striking, engraved surface and a plex"iglass faceplate that lets you observe the three springs actively vibrate5. Guitar Pedal X highlighted "a cool viewport into the springs - which also reveals that there is a third spring in the mix for more complex vibr"ations11.
The circuit grew out of Anasounds' earlier Element spring reverb. Jack White wanted an Element reverb whose spring would be integrated directly into the main pedal body, with slightly different settings6. Delicious Audio reported that the resulting edition combines the Le Bon spring tank and control unit in one box with a third spring added3, and that its tonal character is pulled from the Anasounds Element and Le Bon pedals in one box3. The pedal also has an onboard preamp based on the Tampco Tone Oven10, and Delicious Audio reported "tons of headroom available"3.
For a player, the appeal is having a genuine spring tank on a pedalboard. Guitar.com's reviewer Josh Gardner described it as scratching "a long-time itch for Jack White - the ability to have a compact fully mechanical spring reverb pedal on his pe"dalboard, usable with any amp12, and summed it up as "An authentic spring reverb in a pedal, but so much more besides - this is a pedal that invites you to get weird in the b"est way12. MusicRadar's coverage suggested it suits soul, post-rock, reggae, blues and pop that benefit from the added character of an analog spring4.
The controls
La Grotte keeps its control set simple, with four external knobs plus an internal trimmer8:
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Dry | Sets the level of the unreverbed signal; with Wet, controls the preamp gain8 |
| Wet | Sets the reverbed signal level; also adds gain, but only to the reverbed sound812 |
| Low | Low-band EQ for the reverb8 |
| High | High-band EQ for the reverb8 |
| Internal trimpot | Further cranks or dials down the gain for greater flexibility8 |
The EQ is a two-band active EQ that Anasounds calls "ultra-efficient"7. Importantly, it shapes only the reverb signal, not your dry sound: Guitar World's roundup noted "there's a two-band EQ that influences only the reverb itself"9, and Guitar.com's reviewer explained it lets you "emphasise the amount of high or low frequencies that resona"te in the spring tail12. The Wet control works the same way: "In addition to level, the wet control also adds gain, but just to the reverbed sound"12.
The internal trimpot is the one control you cannot reach without opening the enclosure. Guitar World's launch coverage described it as a way to "further crank or dial down the gain for greater flexibility" beyond the external knobs8.
Built with Anasounds, in two versions
La Grotte came out of almost four years of collaboration between Third Man Hardware and Anasounds, which began when White got his hands on an Anasounds Element reverb8. The pedal was designed by Anasounds in close collaboration with Third Man Hardware and Jack White6. A final version was approved by NAMM 20246, and Third Man Hardware launched the pedal in August 202481.
The pedal launched in two versions8:
| Version | Finish | Price at launch (August 2024) | Where sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | Sandblasted black enclosure | $299 | Third Man store812 |
| Limited edition | Mostly yellow, different finish | $349 | Third Man's Reverb shop, exclusive813 |
The limited edition follows Third Man's black and yellow graphic charter, with a Plexiglas plate engraved in yellow and black, sandblasted black enclosures for electrical contact, and a common signature engraved on the bottom of the enclosure6. Guitar Pedal X noted the Limited Edition is usually only available direct from the Third Man Records Store13. UK pricing at launch was reported as £300 standard and £350 for the limited edition1294, and MusicRadar gave the asking price as €3494. Anasounds lists the pedal at 349,00 EUR on its own product page14.
On value, Guitar Pedal X judged the standard version at $299 to be "relatively good value" against the Element bundles13, and Guitar World's 2025 roundup of the best new pedals of the 2020s listed La Grotte at $300/£3509.
Videos
Reverb
Tone Factory
60 Cycle Hum
Questions
Is the Third Man Hardware La Grotte analog or digital?
It is fully analog and mechanical. Anasounds' manual describes it as a reverb that is both analog and mechanical, and press coverage has called it 100% analog, with the reverb generated by real springs rather than a digital algorithm. The onboard preamp is based on the Tampco Tone Oven.
Does La Grotte use real springs?
Yes. The pedal contains a three-spring reverb tank, described by reviewers as a quality Accutronics/Belton unit, mounted inside the pedal body. A plexiglass faceplate lets you watch the three springs vibrate as you play, and the third spring is credited with bringing the sound alive and enabling a long decay.
How much does the La Grotte cost?
The standard version launched at $299 in August 2024, with a limited-edition version in a different finish at $349, sold exclusively through Third Man's Reverb shop. Anasounds lists the pedal at 349,00 EUR on its own product page. UK pricing at launch was reported as £300 standard and £350 for the limited edition.
What is different about the limited-edition La Grotte?
The limited edition arrives in a different finish, mostly yellow, following Third Man's black and yellow branding, with a Plexiglas plate engraved in yellow and black and a common signature engraved on the bottom of the enclosure. It was sold exclusively through Third Man's Reverb shop at $349, $50 more than the standard version.
Who designed the La Grotte?
It was designed by Anasounds in close collaboration with Third Man Hardware and Jack White. White got in touch with Anasounds after playing their Element spring reverb, wanting a version with the spring integrated into the pedal body. The collaboration took almost four years and was finalized at the NAMM Show in January 2024.
What does the internal trimpot on the La Grotte do?
The internal trimpot lets you further crank or dial down the gain for greater flexibility, beyond what the external controls offer. It sits inside the enclosure, so adjusting it means opening the pedal up. The Wet knob on the outside also adds gain, but only to the reverbed sound.
Sources (14)
- “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
- “A commanding new effects pedal that merges aggressive octave fuzz with earth-shaking analogue synth tones”: Third Man Hardware joins forces with Eventide for the Knife Drop, MusicRadar, 2024-10-29
- New Pedal: Anasound + Third Man La Grotte Mechanical Reverb, Delicious Audio, 2024-08-29
- “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
- Anasounds La Grotte Analog Spring Reverb review, Guitar World, 2024-11-06
- La Grotte, Anasounds, 2024-08-28
- La Grotte, Anasounds, 2024-08-28
- Jack White's Third Man Hardware & Anasounds debut La Grotte, Guitar World, 2024-08-29
- Guitar World's 30 favorite guitar pedals from the past 5 years, Guitar World, 2025-06-02
- La Grotte, Anasounds, 2024-08-27
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-12-12
- Anasounds/Third Man Hardware La Grotte review, Guitar.com, 2024-10-07
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2024-08-29
- La Grotte, Anasounds, 2026-09-16
