The Best Reverb Pedal?

**P4guitar** · 09-22-2012, 12:06 AM

Yes, there are previous threads on this but time passes and technology changes.

I have two pedals, an old RV3 and a Neunaber Wet mono.

Both are good but

1. the RV is dying and
2. I prefer the Neunaber.

I want to replace the RV 3 with something as good as or better than the Neunaber...if that exists.

Any opinions from the reverb cognoscenti out there?

**Source** · 09-22-2012, 12:08 AM

Strymon makes some great stuff. Pricey, though.

What're you looking for, specifically? Spring reverb? I've been hearing good things about Dr. Scientist's reverb pedal.

**P4guitar** · 09-22-2012, 12:24 AM

I've heard the Strymon on youtube. Everyone there seems to max it out to the point of mush to my ears. I need to hear it as a jazz player would use it, not as a toked out surfer uses it

The Neunaber is the best pedal I've found so far as it has a great tone and reverb and the simplest controls. That said the RV3 served me well for a very long time but it's crapping out and the opportunity arrives to replace it with something better...but what?

Spring reverb: Would I call the Neunaber a spring reverb? I don't know...all I know is that so far, it's the best I've played through.

If no one proposes something compelling I'll buy another Neunaber. Just thought there'd be some strong competition to it now.

**Source** · 09-22-2012, 01:53 AM

No, I wouldn't call the Neunaben a spring reverb emulator. It sounds more like plate reverb than anything to me.

This might help in your quest.

**Frank67** · 09-22-2012, 01:55 AM

I am very happy with the TC Electronic Hall of Fame. Versatile, easy to use and great sound.

**Moonray** · 09-22-2012, 01:57 AM

Digital reverb is the new chorus.....[Just kidding...sorta]

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 05:12 AM

The TC HOF is very good for the price better, than the Hardwire RV-7 (which I am selling) - mainly the Church setting and some Toneprints. The Strymon BS is great (and it does more than surf) but very expensive. The Strymon Flint's reverbs seem even better than the BS and I bet they sound awesome but, again, expensive. The new Hardwire Supernatural (PGS) also seems great but never tried one.

So, from all I've tried, the HOF but I only really like 2 or 3 modes.

**Frank67** · 09-22-2012, 05:39 AM

Interesting comparison Jorge!

I own 3 reverb pedals: the TC HOF, an EH Holy Grail and a Boss FRV-1. While they all sound at least decent, I do prefer the HOF which has the biggest, warmest sound. It is small, easy to use, robustly made and very versatile. i have not tried the toneprint at all yet. My favorite setting is the spring reverb but a couple of others, including church, also sound good to me.

The Holy Grail on spring reverb sounds nice too, but not as good as the HOF (IMHO), it seems more cheaply made and gives a loud click when you step on it. Not in the same league as the HOF IMHO.

The Boss FRV-1 is also ok but also doesn't come close to the HOF. I am not the biggest fan of the COSM modelling.

So for the moment the HOF is it, but I agree the the Strymon Flint looks very interesting as well and it has an additional vibrato that, in small doses, is an intersting addition .... Sigh, as we all know there is no end in gear :-)

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 06:39 AM

Strymon pedals sound very good in my experience - but 300€ for a pedal is just too much for me. The HOF cost 125€... I don't think the Strymon is wotrh more than 2x the price. If money was not a concern I would go for the Flint for sure!

I wish TC had a much simpler approach to the HOF - just spring, plate, hall, church and two or three toneprints. I think the pedal has too much "meh" reverbs and that's one good thiing about the Strymon - you only get 3 reverbs but they are all excellent. Who needs 10 reverbs anyway?

But the Church is so nice to me that I really don't care about that

(I must say that I use the pedal to have a not so subtle reverb in the Rosenwinkel, Monder, Kreisberg, etc.. line)

**IbanezAS100** · 09-22-2012, 07:51 AM

I would check out the Fuchs Good Verbrations pedal. I use the Verbrator which also has an effects loop but GB is simpler. The quality of the reverb is great and ranges from subtle to cathedral-like (more 'modern', if you will).

**medblues** · 09-22-2012, 09:11 AM

Digitech Hardwire RV-7 Stereo is very good.

**feet** · 09-22-2012, 10:15 AM

you're probably straight with your wet. you could go for a stereo wet, i suppose. i'd be more interested if they were cheaper, and were classified. spring, plate, hall... whatever. just tell me what it is. this is america. i deserve to know.

i've got a supernatural waiting for me at the post office. i'll report back on that later. there are a few things i've been wanting to try, but i'm starting there first. been using an ehx holy grail plus and that has been more than good enough for years now. i'd bet you non laser verb jazz fellows would like it, especially given its price and simplicity. the spring and hall are very nice.

**David B** · 09-22-2012, 12:09 PM

Had a Strymon blueSky. Sold it to move to the Flint. 3 very useable reverbs: '60s spring, '70s plate, '80s hall, with nice simple controls. Plus the bonus of some great trem sounds.

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 12:23 PM

Hi David. You're the first person I see comparing the BS with the Flint; just by the specs I would like the Flint much more - are the reverbs on the Flint that much superior to the BS?

Thanks

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by feet

you're probably straight with your wet. you could go for a stereo wet, i suppose. i'd be more interested if they were cheaper, and were classified. spring, plate, hall... whatever. just tell me what it is. this is america. i deserve to know.

i've got a supernatural waiting for me at the post office. i'll report back on that later. there are a few things i've been wanting to try, but i'm starting there first. been using an ehx holy grail plus and that has been more than good enough for years now. i'd bet you non laser verb jazz fellows would like it, especially given its price and simplicity. the spring and hall are very nice.

I am curious to hear you report on the supernatural for more realistic subtle reverb sounds - most reviews are for ambient.

**Jazz_175** · 09-22-2012, 01:22 PM

I use TC Hall of Fame.
I never used the Toneprints option,
How useful is it?

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 02:01 PM

You have plenty of toneprints, just use the usb that came with the pedal and in 1 minute you have a new reverb sound on your pedal.

**smp** · 09-22-2012, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by 4thstuning

I need to hear it as a jazz player would use it, not as a toked out surfer uses it

They're all pretty good these days. Most of the pedals mentioned here will do way more than what you need and all of them will do exactly what you need.

**P4guitar** · 09-22-2012, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by smp

They're all pretty good these days. Most of the pedals mentioned here will do way more than what you need and all of them will do exactly what you need.

No doubt I could make do with any of them...if I had only one pedal. However when one has two different units and compares them, typically one diminishes the other to the point of dissatisfaction.

Based on the posts here the HOF is probably the top contender considering price (good deal at Amazon), flexibility (setting and toneprint), and user satisfaction. I will investigate this more but may also just get another Neunaber since I like it so well.

Thanks to all for their 2 cents.

**smp** · 09-22-2012, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by 4thstuning

No doubt I could make do with any of them...if I had only one pedal. However when one has two different units and compares them, typically one diminishes the other to the point of dissatisfaction.

Based on the posts here the HOF is probably the top contender considering price (good deal at Amazon), flexibility (setting and toneprint), and user satisfaction. I will investigate this more but may also just get another Neunaber since I like it so well.

Thanks to all for their 2 cents.

The HOF is very nice. My only criticism is that the reverb type selector knob feels a bit vague and the the on off switch is awful. Aside from those complaints it's a great sounding pedal with a small footprint and true bypass.

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 05:11 PM

By the way, why do you need two reverbs?

**P4guitar** · 09-22-2012, 05:43 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

By the way, why do you need two reverbs?

I don't "need" it, I want it. I've always had two reverbs for backup purposes.

I also have two amps, several guitars, multiple music stands, six or so cables, a library of fake books, hundreds of picks, and a over a dozen pairs of underwear.

I am prepared.

**jorgemg1984** · 09-22-2012, 05:47 PM

I can see that

Do you also use delay?

**P4guitar** · 09-22-2012, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

I can see that

Do you also use delay?

The only other pedal I have is a MXR carbon copy delay pedal. It's a love/hate relationship. I was using it instead of reverb for a while but that got tiring.

Inexplicably I've never combined it with reverb - maybe it's like chocolate and peanut butter.

**Bryan T** · 09-22-2012, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by 4thstuning

The only other pedal I have is a MXR carbon copy delay pedal. It's a love/hate relationship. I was using it instead of reverb for a while but that got tiring.

Inexplicably I've never combined it with reverb - maybe it's like chocolate and peanut butter.

I was actually going to suggest getting an analog delay to use with (or instead of) your preferred reverb. It is a different sound, but works really well for some things.