Looking for a reverb pedal

Lestratcaster · September 2023

I've never actually owned a reverb pedal, (shocker I know). But after exploring more clean sounds and using the Kemper reverbs (which are amazing) I am toying with idea of getting one to use with my 5 watt Marshall amp as I still kept that and use physical pedals.

The ones on the shortlist are:

Boss RV-6
Strymon Big/Blue Sky
TC Electronics Hall of Fame (there's a 2 isn't there?)
Flamma FS02
EHX Holy Grail
Donner
Dispatch Master

I'm sure a lot of you own some of these so would appreciate your experiences on them as I've never tried any of them before.

Also would welcome suggestions on any other brands that I probably haven't heard of.

Mostly will be playing cleans with those pretty ambient sounds, the ones you hear on pop and rnb recordings, as well as jazzy/funky tones and maybe some lead overdrives which could do with some reverb to fill out the sound a bit.

lincolnblue · September 2023

I would highly recommend the Neunaber Stereo Wet. I happen to be selling one (https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/251456/fs-neunaber-stereo-wet-reverb#latest) but also really rate it as a pedal. I use it for clean playing and ambient stuff as you mention and it's great. One of the best I've tried (and I've tried a lot!)

LionAquaLooper · September 2023

Highly recommend the Keeley Caverns v2.

soma1975 · September 2023

I just sold a Hydra which was great with my Marshall SV20, but tbh I would also recommend a Boss RV6. It is an industry standard and sounds incredible but also it's a great starting off point to know what you like or don't like.

Yorkie · September 2023

I've got the Hall of Fame. I haven't tested the stereo in/out, and I haven't connected it to the 'puter. It's got a fair few modes and all I need is there on the panel, so happy days.

Whitecat · September 2023

The Dispatch Master is a combination delay/reverb, but it's a damn good one and on a simple pedalboard that just needs basic versions of each of those it's a space-saver. It sounds amazing just about anywhere you point the knobs - one of my favourite "workhorse" pedals.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

lincolnblue said:

I would highly recommend the Neunaber Stereo Wet. I happen to be selling one (https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/251456/fs-neunaber-stereo-wet-reverb#latest) but also really rate it as a pedal. I use it for clean playing and ambient stuff as you mention and it's great. One of the best I've tried (and I've tried a lot!)

Just 3 knobs to fiddle with! My kinda pedal lol cos I get confused easily!

What is the USB input thing for by the way?

Lestratcaster · September 2023

LionAquaLooper said:

Highly recommend the Keeley Caverns v2.

Will check it out, not heard of it before.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

soma1975 said:

I just sold a Hydra which was great with my Marshall SV20, but tbh I would also recommend a Boss RV6. It is an industry standard and sounds incredible but also it's a great starting off point to know what you like or don't like.

The Hydra has tremolo with it too hasn't it? Don't really use trem much as an effect to be fair.

And yeah you can't really go wrong with boss pedals, built like tanks and just do what they're labelled to do.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

Yorkie said:

I've got the Hall of Fame. I haven't tested the stereo in/out, and I haven't connected it to the 'puter. It's got a fair few modes and all I need is there on the panel, so happy days.

I quite like the Hall of Fame, got all the ones I wanna use, just like a simple to use display as too many knobs scare and confuse me lol. But definitely a front runner as an "in-the-middle-price-range" type pedal.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

Whitecat said:

The Dispatch Master is a combination delay/reverb, but it's a damn good one and on a simple pedalboard that just needs basic versions of each of those it's a space-saver. It sounds amazing just about anywhere you point the knobs - one of my favourite "workhorse" pedals.

Yeah, I mean I do have a DD-6 but to save hooking another pedal keeping the signal chain shorter its a nice touch. Just 4 knobs to play with is enough for me.

lincolnblue · September 2023

Lestratcaster said:

lincolnblue said:

I would highly recommend the Neunaber Stereo Wet. I happen to be selling one (https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/251456/fs-neunaber-stereo-wet-reverb#latest) but also really rate it as a pedal. I use it for clean playing and ambient stuff as you mention and it's great. One of the best I've tried (and I've tried a lot!)

Just 3 knobs to fiddle with! My kinda pedal lol cos I get confused easily!

What is the USB input thing for by the way?

YEs, it's very intuitive. You can plug it in to a computer and use downloadable software to change the reverb type, alter settings etc. But you certainly don't need to do that - the three knobs are all I really ever use

thomasw88 · September 2023

I've had a bunch of these.

The best I've had is the Neunaber immerse which is immense!
Slightly cheaper but also excellent is the RV6.

I've had a couple of HOF's and alway found them rather disappointing - especially compared to the above.

The Strymon Flint is superb but don't bother if you don't want a trem as well.

TheBigDipper · September 2023

There's reverbs and there's reverbs.

The TC HoF 2 is a decent "cooking" digital reverb and does everything pretty well. You don't need to know about Toneprints to get a decent plate, room, hall or spring sound. But if you do take a run through the library that TC provides, there are some very very nice signature reverbs, too - big caverns where the trail develops into a nice shimmering modulation, that sort of thing.

It has the choice of buffered or true bypass, and dry-thru for use in a parallel loop or wet/dry setup. I use mine "true bypass" (it's in a mono loop on a Boss ES-5, so don't need the buffer on) and wet (dry-thru is Edit: ON - I'm not stopping the dry signal, it's coming through, doh!).

I also like the T-Rex valve-driven Room Mate. Sounds good and easy to use. The non-valve Room Mate Jr is decent, too.

And the Boss RV-6.

Is this helping? :-)

Sassafras · September 2023

The MXR m300 is expensive but it's really nice.

jellybelly · September 2023

Although I'm not normally a fan of the Andertons YouTube channel, they recently did a 'winner stays on' comparison/review thing. One of your options won.

However, if you just want basic, simple verb, there's a reason the Holy Grail is on so many pro pedalboards!

blobb · September 2023

Hardwire

jellybelly · September 2023

blobb said:

Hardwire

Oh, yeah. And that too.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

thomasw88 said:

I've had a bunch of these.

The best I've had is the Neunaber immerse which is immense!
Slightly cheaper but also excellent is the RV6.

I've had a couple of HOF's and alway found them rather disappointing - especially compared to the above.

The Strymon Flint is superb but don't bother if you don't want a trem as well.

I'm tempted to just go with the Boss cos its easier to sell on as its quite popular.

And yeah don't need tremolo so Strymon is out the running I feel.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

TheBigDipper said:

There's reverbs and there's reverbs.

The TC HoF 2 is a decent "cooking" digital reverb and does everything pretty well. You don't need to know about Toneprints to get a decent plate, room, hall or spring sound. But if you do take a run through the library that TC provides, there are some very very nice signature reverbs, too - big caverns where the trail develops into a nice shimmering modulation, that sort of thing.

It has the choice of buffered or true bypass, and dry-thru for use in a parallel loop or wet/dry setup. I use mine "true bypass" (it's in a mono loop on a Boss ES-5, so don't need the buffer on) and wet (dry-thru is off).

I also like the T-Rex valve-driven Room Mate. Sounds good and easy to use. The non-valve Room Mate Jr is decent, too.

And the Boss RV-6.

Is this helping? :-)

Ha a little bit. RV-6 would be a solid choice imo. Not heard of the T-Rex one, didn't know they made reverb pedals but I guess every big brand should have done.

What's that mash feature that the Hall of Fame offers? I hear about it all the time but don't actually know what it is.

NickB · September 2023

Surfybear Compact….it’s not compact but it sounds immense! Other than that the Keeley Hydra is great.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

jellybelly said:

Although I'm not normally a fan of the Andertons YouTube channel, they recently did a 'winner stays on' comparison/review thing. One of your options won.

However, if you just want basic, simple verb, there's a reason the Holy Grail is on so many pro pedalboards!

Holy Grail was kinda lower on the list but can't dismiss it. Many of my favourite bands use one. Just nothing stood out on first listening.

Snags · September 2023

Strymon Big Sky if you want big washy ambient things like what you hear everywhere.

HOF/HOF II (or HOF x4 II) is a good shout and can be much fiddled with via Toneprint/computer linkage as well as the kbos.

Personally I'd avoid the RV-6 if you want big washy things. I have one, and it's great, but most of the settings are fairly conventional.

Caverns is a good shout, i still lust after one of those.

Source Audio are worth a look. I think the pure reverb is a Ventris. I have the Collider which is a dual pedal, reverb and delay, and the reverb is essentially the Ventris IIRC. That will give you some biiiiiiiig reverbs if you want.

english_bob · September 2023

Line 6 M5 is worth a look. Price-wise it's similar to some of the ones you're looking at, and has the advantage of being able to save presets. Good selection of decent reverb sounds and the option of expression pedal control too.

Doesn't do well with daisy chained power though...

Supportact · September 2023

My current favourite is the Catalinbread talisman. Plate style reverb, so not as versatile as some but a great sound.

Definitely second the Dispatch Master. Again, simple but quality.

I do also like the Hall of Fame (I've got a Trinity which is the same with a couple of different presets). If I listen carefully in isolation I don't like the sound quite as much as the other two but it's so versatile and I like the Toneprint options. Still a good option and I still use it for gigging.

The Strymon stuff is great and very tweakable but these days I prefer single boss size pedals and simple controls, for practical purposes.

TheBigDipper · September 2023

Lestratcaster said:

TheBigDipper said:

<snip>

What's that mash feature that the Hall of Fame offers? I hear about it all the time but don't actually know what it is.

It adds programmable dynamic performance capabilities to the effect without needing an expression pedal. For example (using a delay example, where the level of feedback to the delay is controlled by MASH)... Press the button once to turn the effect on. Then apply pressure to the button and the harder you press, more and more effect will feed back into the delay causing it to respond accordingly.

On a reverb you might use it to dynamically add extra shimmer. Some reverb Toneprints lets you have a small room reverb when the MASH is unused and turn the room into something cavernous when you add pressure to it.

soma1975 · September 2023

Anyone use the dispatch master to go into a dirty amp?

rze99 · September 2023

I also have The Dispatch Master. It's superb and, importantly, live, very intuitive to set.

I suggest you don't rule out the Boss ME range of multi-effects (if that format is more convenient for you and brings other things such as phase, flange etc). They are under-estimated, inexpensive when bought used and also intuitive to use.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

Snags said:

Strymon Big Sky if you want big washy ambient things like what you hear everywhere.

HOF/HOF II (or HOF x4 II) is a good shout and can be much fiddled with via Toneprint/computer linkage as well as the kbos.

Personally I'd avoid the RV-6 if you want big washy things. I have one, and it's great, but most of the settings are fairly conventional.

Caverns is a good shout, i still lust after one of those.

Source Audio are worth a look. I think the pure reverb is a Ventris. I have the Collider which is a dual pedal, reverb and delay, and the reverb is essentially the Ventris IIRC. That will give you some biiiiiiiig reverbs if you want.

Yes I like big washy ambient things lol, just not a fan of the £400+ price tag for the Strymon!

Hall of Fame has a lot of choices and a sensible price, so strong contender. Flamma and the Dispatch one are the other 2 front runners right now.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

Supportact said:

My current favourite is the Catalinbread talisman. Plate style reverb, so not as versatile as some but a great sound.

Definitely second the Dispatch Master. Again, simple but quality.

I do also like the Hall of Fame (I've got a Trinity which is the same with a couple of different presets). If I listen carefully in isolation I don't like the sound quite as much as the other two but it's so versatile and I like the Toneprint options. Still a good option and I still use it for gigging.

The Strymon stuff is great and very tweakable but these days I prefer single boss size pedals and simple controls, for practical purposes.

Ah, not heard of the Catalinbread. Weird name. Must check that one out. I kinda want a range of reverbs though, so hall, plate, room, church etc.

And yes I do prefer a smaller pedal size, not one of those massive boxes that takes up about 4 pedal sizes.

Lestratcaster · September 2023

rze99 said:

I also have The Dispatch Master. It's superb and, importantly, live, very intuitive to set.

I suggest you don't rule out the Boss ME range of multi-effects (if that format is more convenient for you and brings other things such as phase, flange etc). They are under-estimated, inexpensive when bought used and also intuitive to use.

Yes, I do like it very much, esp the ability to blend in some delay.

I know I'm lying when I say it'll be my last pedal I get, but I can't see myself needing phase or flange. I have most of the other effects like compressor, chorus and delay so reverb will be the last (or will it). But does help to have everything in one unit rather than a host of pedals.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Looking for a reverb pedal

Comments