Sweetwater teams up with ​​JHS Pedals, Benson Amps and Keeley Electronics for pedal range inspired by the Beach Boys

Retailer Sweetwater has joined forces with JHS Pedals, Benson Amps and Keeley Electronics for five limited edition effects that capture the tone and essence of the Beach Boys.

The collaborative range lands just ahead of Disney+’s documentary on the Beach Boys, which is due for release on 24 May. The doc will feature never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilsonfo, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, plus other music industry figures.

• READ MORE: The hidden guitar genius of the Beach Boys: five essential tracks for guitar lovers

As part of the effects collection, JHS brings a Good Vibrations chorus/vibrato pedal to the table, plus the Punchline Bass Station – an all-in-one tool providing four ways to shape output: a VCA compressor, an overdrive, a vintage amp simulator, and three-band EQ – with its name inspired by an unreleased track from the group’s early instrumental days.

Additionally, Chris Benson of Benson Amps has crafted the Surf’s Up, a tube-driven spring reverb and optical tremolo unit, with Robert Keeley of Keeley Electronics offering the California Girls 12-string guitar simulator and the I Get Around rotary speaker simulator.

Here are the key features of each one:

JHS Good Vibrations

• 1960s-style chorus and vibrato with an old-school bulb-driven circuit
• Large control knobs for Volume, Intensity and Speed
• Chorus/vibrato rocker switch with two distinct voices (classic slow warble or a faster/dramatic swirl)
• Silent switching and a buffered bypass help preserve tone
• Price: $299

JHS Punchline Bass Station

• A multi-tool preamp/DI/channel strip inspired by the studio sounds of the Wrecking Crew and The Beach Boys
• Split into four distinct sections: Compressor, Drive, Amp Sim, and EQ
• Footswitch controls for toggling drive and compression on or off
• Mono quarter-inch I/O, plus a balanced XLR output (with optional ground lift) for DI connections to mixers, interfaces, and PA systems
• Price: $499

Benson Amps Surf’s Up

• Two blendable spring reverb tanks – a three-spring short tank and a long two-spring tank
• Dwell, Tone, and Mix knobs for reverb tone
• Hi-fi-inspired ground scheme cuts back on noise
• Optical tremolo section inspired by the large combo sound of the mid-1960s
• Tremolo circuit features an extended speed range, no volume drop, and reduced “ticking”
• Tube-driven construction with a 6V6 power tube, 12AT7, a trio of 12AX7s, and custom Soursound transformers
• Two-button LED footswitch
• Price: $2,199

Keeley Electronics California Girls 

• Emulates the double 12-string guitars in the style of The Beach Boys’ California Girls
• Leverages chorus, octave effects, and slapback echo
• Blend knob (balances dry/wet signals) and Chorus knob
• Rate knob to tailor the chorus effect
• X2 footswitch disengages the 12-string simulation for a standalone chorus effect
• Echo toggle switch simulates the natural string interaction of a 12-string electric guitar
• Echo Level alt-feature controls the volume of the slap
• Octave Tone feature
• Switchable true- and buffered-bypass operation
• Price: $299

Keeley Electronics I Get Around

• Control knobs for Blend, Drive, and Speed
• Mids Boost toggle switch
• Slow-Fast footswitch selects between two rotation speeds
• Brake feature abruptly slows down the rotation effect to a dramatic stop
• Ramp feature controls transition speed from slow to fast
• Optional pulsing LED that reacts to the rotary effect
• Switchable true- and buffered-bypass operation
• Price: $299

Find out more and view the full collection at Sweetwater. You can also catch The Beach Boys documentary on Disney+ on 24 May.