Oh I am down with the nerd stuff! I am not down with it to gig with, though- more stuff to carry, more to set up, and more that certainly goes wrong (at the gig, usually).
Surfybear Reverb?
- Thread starter Chistopher
- Start date
Oh I am down with the nerd stuff! I am not down with it to gig with, though- more stuff to carry, more to set up, and more that certainly goes wrong (at the gig, usually).
Hiwatts and Gibsons
New member
Outboard reverb units can be great, but you're essentially hauling another whole amp. I had a Z-Verb, and while it was amazing sounding Fenders, old Ampegs, Magnatones, some Dr. Z's, and other amps already have amazingly good reverbs built in which don't require a second head box, complete with transformers, and chassis. Though my Ampeg VT22 head weighs more than some combo's and reverb units combined.
I know Surfy Bears are designed for pedal boards, but they are huge, and I worry about noise with the springs so close to all those power and instrument cables.
I also cannot say that the Z-Verb sounded better than the reverbs in any of those amps. Was it more flexible and tunable? Yes. Otoh those amps reverbs are so perfectly tuned that a single or pair of knobs yields nothing but perfectly combined levels of wetness, depth, and blend everywhere on the dials.
If I had to rate all the spring reverbs I ever played through, then the award would easily go to my Magnatone Panoramic Stereo head. I know it's split stereo, so the comparison is a little unfair, but every setting sounded amazing. From shallowest to deepest that amp's reverb sounds flat out aamazing. For everything in it that amp was lightweight, easily portable, smallish, and sounded amazing.
I wish Surfy Bear or someone would make a Stereo Spring Reverb rack unit like the old Tube Works reverb unit. That would get my dollars for sure. I could stick it in a 6 or 8 space rack with my Fulltone Tube Tape Echo strapped to a shelf, and a power conditioner
I know Surfy Bears are designed for pedal boards, but they are huge, and I worry about noise with the springs so close to all those power and instrument cables.
I also cannot say that the Z-Verb sounded better than the reverbs in any of those amps. Was it more flexible and tunable? Yes. Otoh those amps reverbs are so perfectly tuned that a single or pair of knobs yields nothing but perfectly combined levels of wetness, depth, and blend everywhere on the dials.
If I had to rate all the spring reverbs I ever played through, then the award would easily go to my Magnatone Panoramic Stereo head. I know it's split stereo, so the comparison is a little unfair, but every setting sounded amazing. From shallowest to deepest that amp's reverb sounds flat out aamazing. For everything in it that amp was lightweight, easily portable, smallish, and sounded amazing.
I wish Surfy Bear or someone would make a Stereo Spring Reverb rack unit like the old Tube Works reverb unit. That would get my dollars for sure. I could stick it in a 6 or 8 space rack with my Fulltone Tube Tape Echo strapped to a shelf, and a power conditioner
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Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
I don't think it would be too hard to do it myself. I may consider giving it a try.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Surfybear is highly regarded - because it is actually a spring reverb. All about dat drip!
The drip is the key feature in regards to any emulation.
What Tremolo are you pairing with it, if I may ask? And have you experimented with Reverb > Tremolo vs Tremolo > Reverb?
My verb/tremolo kabala - look up Peavey Valverb; Also a real Spring (Really need to do a good vid of this into the computer...)
The drip is the key feature in regards to any emulation.
What Tremolo are you pairing with it, if I may ask? And have you experimented with Reverb > Tremolo vs Tremolo > Reverb?
My verb/tremolo kabala - look up Peavey Valverb; Also a real Spring (Really need to do a good vid of this into the computer...)
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Currently I have Surfybear -> TR-2. I've been experimenting with many things though
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
I will have to try out tremolo pre-reverb though. Choppy settings might be interesting.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Kind of a Rich Man, Poor Man setup. Surfy deserves a better partner in crime. CAn't hate on the TR-2 though - it works.
Verb into Trem - ANY sound that hits when the Trem is on goes through...including the "echo" of the verb, so it softens the intensity of the Tremolo
Trem into Verb - If a Sound hits the tree at "off" it never gets the reverb treatment (or delay, etc), and the sound emphasizes the quiet/loud swells more.
Time and a place for
astrozombie
KatyPerryologist
is that the brown/tan (can’t recall) model that some people put on top of their amps?
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Interesting. Also how does optical versus bias tie into surf tremolo? Any honest-to-goodness tube tremolo pedals worth looking to?
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
When you say surf Tremolo, do you mean the style, or the technology?
Tech: I have two of them. Honestly, the digital/analog tech for Tremolo pedals is so good these days, no. It's an interesting thing, but practically no one will know. At the end of the day, a Tremolo is a volume knob.
Style: Surf uses everything. You don't HAVE to make an optical tremolo chop. But a bias will not chop well, or be perceived as chop until you get to warp speed. Even then, a real hard chop is a thing. But the surfers used whatever Trem was in their Fender or Vox amp. It varied.
Chistopher
malapterurus electricus tonewood instigator
Hmm... I like my TR-2, but you're right, but it doesn't quite have the chop of an optical tremolo. Any recommendations for a good reasonably priced optical tremolo? I see the EHX Pulsar is on sale for $50 right now at sweetwater
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Pulsar - just no.
Let go of the "optical" thing. Square wave is square wave. There are lots of ways to generate that.
For great chop, get a Duncan Shapeshifter. Seriously. Or, just get one because they are awesome. Either way.
Earthquaker Hummingbird is awesome too. There is a reason it is called "repeat percussion"
Honestly, the TR-2 is pretty good. Seriously.
However, if what you really think you want is optical because classic/historic sound, Yes, an EXH Pulsar is optical tones. But...a classier choice with that Surfy would be an Original large box Diamond Tremolo. But The Mooer Trelicopter is also Optical (allegedly)
Or - to go outside the box, for extreme Chop consider the Idiot Box Stutter. On/off is about as chop as chop gets.
I just can't tell where you are coming from. I mean, I'm just being cork-sniffy on needing something other than the TR2 to pair with the Surfy.
- Set up that works? Surfy + TR2 (which is neither bias or optical, but does a great chop)
- Set up that works and is optical? Surfy + Mooer Trelicopter (Is it really optical or does it just sound that way - yet it has a bias knob - point being ignore the mechanism)
- Setup that is more excellent? Surfy + Hummingbird (also optical, by the way)
- Setup with Optical awesome? Surfy + Diamond
If what you want is Fender replication, sell it all and get a Fender Tre-Verb.
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not sure what they go for, but i know the fender outboard unit isnt cheap. the current spring reverb tanks seem to be fairly poorly made. ive had a few die on me that were less than ten years old, though they sounded great. my old vintage fenders from the 60s are still going strong
BenPerkins
New member
They had a Black Friday sale and were selling B stock for 50% off. I’ll make a thread next time they go on sale.
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