Source Audio Pathways Review: A New Standard for Surf and Spaghetti Western Reverb

Introduction

For seven years, the Source Audio True Spring Reverb has been a go-to recommendation for guitarists chasing surf and spaghetti western tones. Its single-pedal format and authentic drip made it a favorite. Now Source Audio has released the Pathways, a pedal that builds on everything the True Spring did well while adding more control, more sounds, and stereo capability.

The Pathways is designed for players who want classic spring reverb sounds without dedicating a full-size tank to their pedalboard. It delivers the drippy, surfy character that made the True Spring famous, but with a wider range of options accessible directly from the face of the pedal.

What Makes the Pathways Different

The most obvious change with the Pathways is the control layout. Where the True Spring required diving into software or button combinations to access secondary features, the Pathways puts everything up front. Tremolo is now accessible with tap tempo. Multiple reverb types are available directly from the dial. Presets are right on the face of the pedal.

The pedal also includes all the knobs you need for shaping your sound, plus some secret functions on a couple of the controls. It supports stereo operation and MIDI control, features that were technically possible on the True Spring but never convenient to use. For players who like to build complex boards, the Pathways has everything waiting right there.

The Reverb Sounds

The Pathways includes several reverb types, each with its own character. The tank setting emulates the Fender 6G15 outboard spring reverb unit, delivering that bright, drippy sound that surf guitarists love. This is the sound that made the True Spring famous, and it is present here in full force.

Beyond the tank, there is a hall reverb with a nice physical space quality, a plate reverb that emulates the sound of a vibrating metal plate, and a room setting that feels darker and more mysterious. Each reverb has time, tone, and mix controls, and they all share a vintage studio character that works well in a surf context.

The spring setting offers a different flavor of spring reverb, emulating the in-amp sound found in amps like Princetons and Twin Reverbs. This version is murkier than the tank but still has a nice drip. Having both versions on one pedal is a significant advantage.

Additional Effects

The Pathways also includes echo and slap settings. The echo emulates a tape echo sound, with delay time controlled by holding down the option switch. The repeats degrade naturally the way tape echo should. The slap setting provides a tight, quick echo that can produce steel drum-like sounds when dialed in carefully.

The tremolo is a major addition. It offers depth and speed controls, with the ability to tap tempo for precise timing. Three different tremolo flavors are available: optical, bias, and harmonic. The optical setting chops hard, the bias setting is smoother and less choppy, and the harmonic setting modulates between low and high tonal characteristics for a phaser-like effect.

Stereo Operation

The Pathways supports stereo operation, which opens up new possibilities. Running the pedal in stereo produces a ping-pong effect with the echo and a doubling effect with the spring reverb. The stereo tremolo is particularly impressive, with the harmonic setting creating a Leslie-like phasing effect across two amps.

While stereo operation might be too much for some players, it is a welcome addition for those who want to experiment with wide, immersive sounds. The pedal also works with the Source Audio software for deeper editing, preset saving, and sharing with other players.

Buying Advice

The Source Audio Pathways is a significant upgrade over the True Spring Reverb. It offers the same beloved drip and surf tones while adding more controls, more reverb types, tremolo, and stereo capability. For players who want a single-pedal solution for surf and spaghetti western sounds, the Pathways is now the pedal to recommend.

The True Spring Reverb remains a solid choice for those who want the classic sound without the extra features. It still delivers the drippy spring tones that made it famous, and it can be a more budget-friendly option.

Conclusion

Source Audio has done it again. The Pathways takes everything that made the True Spring Reverb a seven-year recommendation and adds more control, more sounds, and stereo capability. It is a one-stop shop for surf and spaghetti western tones, and it is now the pedal to recommend to anyone looking to get into those sounds without investing in a full-size spring reverb tank.