I go back and forth between 18v and 9v. It may just come down to real estate on my Bbe supa charger unfortunately.

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So, there has been some discussion about 9v vs 19v. I have a Pedal Power 4x4 power brick that has choices of 9v 100 mA, 9v 400 mA or 12v 400 mA. Which of these choices would be right for the Topanga (which I don't have at this point)?

Or does it really matter all that much?

Topanga draws max 60mA, according to Catalinbread.
12v will probably only make a slight difference from 9v, if any. Personally I don't hear any 'improvement' On 18v, I do feel a bit more range and linearity in the controls.
BTW, mine is for sale now, since the bear entered the room. SurfyBear, that is.

surferjoemusic wrote:

DreadInBabylon wrote:

Topanga draws max 60mA, according to Catalinbread.
12v will probably only make a slight difference from 9v, if any. Personally I don't hear any 'improvement' On 18v, I do feel a bit more range and linearity in the controls.
BTW, mine is for sale now, since the bear entered the room. SurfyBear, that is.

After an initial excitement about the Topanga and purchasing it I have to say that it is a better reverb, probably the best reverb pedal I ever tried together with the Flint. But anyway still not working close to the tank. I had the chance to try it a little in the US and now I did some extensive tryout back in Italy.

But anyway I DO NOT understand the excitement for the surfy bear. It is not a reverb pedal > it is a controller. you still need an external reverb pan. What is the advantage??? Yes ok, it might work better and similar to a tank compared to the Vanamps, but you do not solve the problem. If you have to carry a solid state control + a reverb pan (for which you have to build at least a box...) why not carrying around the reverb tank directly???

I do not see the point of the surfy bear honestly.

Do not misunderstand me, I appreciate the job a lot, but we are here talking about a pedal, which is a problem solver. Not a replacement of a Fender Tank that takes approx the same space in the end in a custom made cabinet...

Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini
(www.surfmusic.net)

I think it's more a question of money, not space. Also reliabilty 'may' be a point.

The Hicadoolas

As far as the Topanga not sounding exactly like a tank, I'm fine with that. I'm not wanting to duplicate a tank sound. I HAD a tank for a few years and didn't like it all that much for the way I play. I want a "tank-like" tone at times for certain songs but not ALL songs.

For me, the Topanga would offer portability, and more versatility in tuning in different reverb settings than I could ever get out of my long gone tank. To me, the tank that I had was kind of a "one trick pony" but I know that's just me. I'm not saying anything against tanks - they are very good at what they do and I am in no way saying that any reverb pedal will directly replace a tank if that exact sound is what you are after.

Last edited: Aug 27, 2014 16:39:40

Rob_J wrote:

I had was kind of a "one trick pony"

A one trick pony is the best pony you can get. As long it does THE trick.

JONPAUL wrote:

josheboy wrote:

YEAH!!!

If I had space in my car and in the venue, and loud volumes would always be allowed (minimum 7-) I would smash with a hammer ANY pedal. Just a nice guitar straight into an amp with volume at 7-. But as this is not always possible, pedals help.
Although you are surfy bear people Topanga and Boss FRV are the best thing you can find in terms of reverb pedals!

Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini
(www.surfmusic.net)

Now i got the idea of dripping sound.

DreadInBabylon wrote:

Lorenzo, that's an interesting take you have on this. What you said makes some sense, especially when YOU probably already own a tank or two...

1. I don't gig. Sound and feel is what I'm after. The reason I didn't buy/build a tube unit is price and availability. The whole project cost me about less than what I paid for the Topanga + some scrap metal. This is still much less than a reverb unit, even a reissue (+shipping and import).

2. If you look at my build, it actually is kinda problem solver. The PCB sits in pedal form, into which I'm going to also install a switchable buffer/splitter/boost. My pan sits in a compact enclosure that can be placed anywhere.

3. If you already have a tube unit, this pedal is a perfect backup. If you have a build in amp pan, it can drive it too. There's the no-maintenance advantage, and the 12v DC advantage.

4. The feel is there, contrary to to digital pedals. The sound is there, in gobs! Don't even compare it to the van-amp, or anything you experienced yet, expect a real tank. Seriously, it's 95% there. I do love the Topanga, it is a great pedal, but none of those come close, the SurfyBear is a different league, just because real type4 springs is what we want, and we want to drive them hard. the SurfyBear does just that, no more no less.

5. Every nuance of your touch translates to some random exiting vibration in the springs, you know and love that feeling, you know it can't be replaced. It makes me a better player. Don't digitize me bro!

6. A professional Surf Guitarist, should have many tools at his arsenal. Topanga is still the best solution if someone's after compactness.

Cheers

I own the FRV, I own the Topanga, I own 5 tanks: 1 brand new brown, 2 1994 La Brea blonde (the best reissue ever), 1 1965 blackface, 1 1963 brown (original Hammond pan, not Gibbs/Accutronics).
I like all. I am not against nobody

I listened CAREFULLY to the surfy bear in California, trying the one of Jonpaul. I love it, it sounds great. But I have to understand its usage since it is not a compact pedal. What I meant before.

Your comment about the gigging is absolutely reasonable. The pedals for me are a spare and will always remain so. It would be probably interesting to see the surfy bear controller into a Twin Reverb combo. Now THAT would be a good usage of that controller. Probably using the surfy bear circuitry to replace what's into a combo amp would be the best usage.

We should have to see what Pat Quilter thinks about integrating the surfy bear in the Steelair...

Lorenzo "Surfer Joe" Valdambrini
(www.surfmusic.net)