Catalin Topanga

[Scott_F]

Just got back from vacation and how awesome to find a new pedal waiting.

I've not got a chance to run in in front of multiple amps yet with multiple guitars. But the 535 thru the Topanga into the 65 was a fun way to start.

I'm not much on the modulation easter egg bonus as of yet. But so far so good.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Catalin Topanga

It really didn't like my strat. ugh. Ordered a hall of fame to try that instead.

 

[Hecubus]

Re: Catalin Topanga

What kind of reverb are you looking for? The Topanga is supposed to emulate an offboard fender spring reverb tank. The Spring reverb setting is the Hall of Fame's weak point IMO.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Catalin Topanga

How could it not like a Strat? I've played nothing but Strats through mine. Are you running it in front of the amp, lots of Dwell?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Catalin Topanga

Er, whilst testing the pedal, have you turned off the amplifier's built-in reverb?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Catalin Topanga

Amp has no reverb. Not really sure. Strat sounded like butt. Tried lots of Knob combinations. I will AB it with the HOF to see. Might have just been my ears last night.

 

[dave74]

Re: Catalin Topanga

She no doubt approves!

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Catalin Topanga

HOF versatile as heck, no two ways about that.

Topanga is warmer somehow.

I'll keep running them side by side, but I want to hit each amp with the both.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Catalin Topanga

As soon as I bought the Topanga, I went out on the same shopping trip and bought a Hall of Fame. I knew I wanted some of the other modes and flexibility. The HOF's spring reverb is sanitized and doesn't carry any of the spring artifacts that Topanga or the Boss/Fender pedal convey so well.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Catalin Topanga

Did you buy a BOSS FRV-1, Hammler?

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Catalin Topanga

No, but I watched a very good comparison online, enough to know that the FRV-1 makes a pretty good go at an authentic spring reverb experience. Topanga and a couple of others were also featured. This video was made by a guy who does surf music, so he was looking for the drips, splashes, and crashes. The HOF provides none of these characteristics on its spring setting.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Catalin Topanga

I don't do Surf music but I do enjoy the drips, splashes and crashes of the BOSS FRV-1. I just dial in a relatively dry mix. It works equally well in front of the amp or in the send/return loop.

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Catalin Topanga

Man I love the TonePrint thing on the HOF. Coolest thing in pedals I've ever seen. I guess I'm a few years late to the party. But I'm not a big pedal guy.

But the Topanga is still warmer and more musical than the HOF.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Catalin Topanga

What's even better than TonePrint is the PC editor you can use when you connect to the pedal via USB.

 

[Matt42]

Re: Catalin Topanga

I couldn't get into the FRV-1 very much. I'll have to look into the Topanga. How would you compare the two? I found the FRV-1 to be very bright when I tried it, even with the tone dialed back. That could also have been the fact that I was playing it in a crappy shop through an amp I didn't like much (can't remember what it was).

My ex had two old Fender Reverb units, a '64 or '65 Blackface and a '77 Silverface. I was lucky enough to gig with them both several times each. I think I was spoiled, since we broke up, I've tried a handful of reverb pedals (HoF, FRV-1, Holy Grail) and not really liked any of them. Fortunately, the amp I just bought has killer reverb with an added Dwell control, so I think I'll be fine for guitar. Unfortunately, it's only 20 watts, so there's no way I can gig pedal steel with it. I may just have to buy a 41st Amps The Well (http://www.41stamplifiers.com/the-well/) to play with my pedal steel.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Catalin Topanga

I couldn't get into the FRV-1 very much. I'll have to look into the Topanga. How would you compare the two?

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Catalin Topanga

I've got the Hall of Fame boxed up and the RMA tag printed out. The HOF was a Swiss Army knife and if I was a plate reverb guy, it doesn't leave. The tone print thing is beyond cool technology. Holding my phone to a pup and loading a new parameter set is absolutely genius. They would kill it with a 4 button pedal with multiple tone print slots for each. That would flat out be amazing. Maybe it already exists. ???

But the Topanga simply has better warmth and feel to it.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Catalin Topanga

At first I thought all the positions were writable, but a little experimentation and checking out that section in the manual revealed that not to be the case. But the USB connection gives you access to some pretty surprising parameters for editing in that one TonePrint slot.

I bought both pedals and kept them, mainly because I wanted a reverb in the effects loop, and Topanga is supposed to go early in the signal chain.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Catalin Topanga

I think I want one just because I spent half my life living on the boulevard in the San Fernando Valley it was named after. LOL

 

[Scott_F]

Re: Catalin Topanga

Joe, the main two amps I'm playing right now neither have on board reverb. So, it's a great fit. After trying out all the various models on the Hall of Fame, none could hold a candle to the Topanga. I believe the preamp they have built into this pedal has much to do with that as well. Many note that does't lend itself well to FX loops, but I've not tried it there yet. I've not needed to.