May Birthdays 
Posted this over on the Tele forum but figured it would be useful to people here:
I’ve been through a lot of reverb pedals over time, and these are the two I have at the moment. They’re both amongst the best I’ve tried so I thought I’d do a review.
In theory, they are fundamentally different pedals, as the Surf uses a Belton ‘Brick’ for it’s reverb sound. (Belton brick reverbs are usually marketed as ‘Spring’ reverb due to the slight bounciness in the decay, and that when you push the tone and decay, you’re also pushing the volume/depth of the reverb a little bit. There’s also a touch of separation between the clean tone and the reverb that offers a kind of natural pre-delay.)
However, the RV-7 actually seems to be based on this idea, as they’ve replicated all those traits, but without using the ‘brick’ component, so they can impose their own characteristic on the decay of each mode. In the case of the Spring mode, it’s a more authentic bounce/clash/splash of the springs themselves.
In Spring mode, what this means is that when you push the ‘liveliness’ (tone) up, the splashing spring sounds get a little louder/brighter. You push the decay time, the overall spring sounds get a little stronger. Depth gets deeper/louder. Also, neither pedal goes 100% wet.
So given the unique nature of belton reverbs and the fact that the RV-7 acts in a similar way it’s definitely a fair comparison.
Mine is the PGS "Super Surf" version, but it has the same features as the SGFX Deluxe version. The settings in the photo are pretty much matched for the same sound/decay time. The Res (decay) on the Surf is backwards, so the max setting is all the way left. The Surf’s short times are shorter or at least more abrupt than the RV-7, but while the RV-7 is capable longer decay than the Surf, it’s not by a huge amount. Even at noon, there’s not a huge amount of decay time to add to it.
Solid Gold FX Super Surf/Surf Rider
There’s a slightly clearer separation between the reverb sound and the clean signal compared to the RV-7, but only just. It gives it a very physical and unique sound, and no matter how deep you set it you always cut through, so it works really well with fuzz, allowing every nuance to be heard in the mix.
The volume boost is useful if you like your reverb very much present or over-the-top. The second mode adds another layer of reverb, which swamps your clean signal a little more, and can give the sound a hall-like “distance”, or even pseudo slap-back delay sounds, albeit with some tweaking, and if you play sharp, palm mutes, Okay enough if you want a touch of slap-back without adding a delay pedal to your setup, but definitely not a replacement if you rely on delay specifically.
Hardwire RV-7
The RV-7 Spring mode is easily one of the best digital reverbs I’ve tried. It mimics the clashing spring sounds perfectly, while providing a nice airy natural reverb tone underneath so it doesn’t sound overly harsh or ‘flat’. The build quality bypass/buffer is fine, and doesn’t effect your clean tone at all. As you crank the depth it only starts to smother your tone a little on the highest settings, but even then only about as much as the Surf with the 2nd mode engaged so it’s still great with fuzz. The ‘liveliness’ has more of an effect on the clashing spring sounds, making them more present, while the ‘ambient’ reverb going on is less effected tonally. The decay time is decent but probably short for people who want to create big shoe-gaze soundscapes. Like the Surf there’s not actually a huge difference between short and long decay times.
Of course, the RV-7 has other modes, but to be honest, they’re really not all that great, and have quite ‘hissy’ digital decays, so I’d say the two pedals actually pretty much even out when it comes to versatility in offering other reverb tones. I do quite like the Plate, but that’s about it. And besides, when you dial back the springy tones on the RV-7 it’s still good subtle reverb anyway, so you might not even feel the need to use the other modes. It really feels like they made the Spring mode the core focus and slapped the other modes on to make it a more appealing for their market. Some might like the other modes, are they are of decent quality, but I’d think of the RV-7 as a Spring reverb pedal more than anything else.
So, focusing on just the Spring mode, I think the only real differences/compromises between the two pedals are:
1) The Surf can get louder than the RV-7, though that one can still get loud in the mix.
2) The RV-7 has the far more ‘authentic’ splashing spring sound to it, but the Surf’s decay is certainly good enough for playing surf style music.
3) The Surf can be a little more natural/neutral sounding in a way that’s actually a little better than the RV-7’s other modes, it just isn’t distinctly ‘plate’ or ‘hall’ sounding.
4) The RV-7 is cheaper, (and is more readily available used) and a little more compact in size. Not quite as compact as a Boss pedal though.
I’d say if you’re recording, or only playing clean Surf music, (or just love splashing Spring reverb) go for the RV-7. It’s easily the best spring tank emulator I’ve tried. Nice and musical without being harsh, and splashes all over the place if you want it too. But if you want to be able to play over-the-top Jesus and Mary Chain/Raveonettes style sounds and/or with a lot of fuzz, as well as being able to dial in slightly more neutral reverb sounds on the fly, then maybe go for the Solid Gold Surf pedal. And it’s still great solely for surf without any real compromise. I love playing surf and love both pedals.
One is a boutique belton brick pedal with useful features that others don’t have. The other is a "mass market" pedal, but one that has been made with a unique, and interactive nature in order to achieve a very specific sound, and it certainly shows.
If one of these pedals went missing, I’d not be in a rush to replace it, as I’d be happy with the other. If I decided to sell one, it’d be a tough decision.
Last edited: Feb 04, 2013 14:50:35
