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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink FRV-1 vs. Flint vs. Fender Tank vs. Surfy Bear vs. G-Spring

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I've never played any of these...my uneducated guesses:

A.Flint
B.Boss
C.Fender RI
D.Gomez
E.Surfy Bear

I liked the high-definition sound of A for a more modern sound and C for the most traditional sound. B was the only one I thought I couldn't work with.

http://blueruins.bandcamp.com

A and D are my fav!

elSentenza

Watang! Mandarine Surfers
https://www.facebook.com/watangsurf?ref=hl

A1, B1, C1, D1, E1, A2, B2, C2 please! Can't wait...

Well, well, well. I thought it was quite interesting to see the opinions. The Flint really got bashed and some guys obviously do like the FRV-1. Anyway, I've said it before: this is not recorded in a band situation. My personal favorite was the Surfy Bear. Live I would always prefer the G-Spring over anything else. This thing sounds stellar!
Also interesting that a couple of people could really distinguish between pans and chipsets. Chapeau! Another thing I noticed was that the opinions varied alot among the 'veterans'. The newbies on the other hand instinctively picked the G-Spring or Fender Tank. What does that tell us? Nothing, I guess. It's all a matter of taste! Wink

Enough braggin', here's the result. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Edit: The intro part has been played with the G-Spring, of course!

The Hicadoolas

Last edited: Jan 19, 2015 10:31:09

Hot damn I was right!

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Invaluable work Sancho! that was a great contribution to surf!

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Great job! This topic should get a sticky.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

I better order another Surfy Bear board for the hell of it before Bjourn sells the patent!

The Kahuna Kings

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Kahuna-Kings/459752090818447

https://thekahunakings.bandcamp.com/releases

Fantastic Sancho :-).
I really enjoyed that. I'm a little bit puzzled about your Gomez sounds as I was sure that it was A. My Gomez tank sound very much like A.

But as you've also stated. Different context, settings and all.

El Twitter
El Ray
El Ray on Bandcamp
El Twang on YouTube

The next step would be to switch the pans amongst the 3 that use them and compare.

Danny Snyder

"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party

Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF

Great job SP!

I would remind everyone that not only are pans and tone settings something to consider, miniature tube selections (12AT7 and 12AX7's, brand, age, etc.) are also "instrumental" to the drip.

The stock G-Spring ALWAYS uses RCA 6K6GT's and JAN 12AT7's by Philips for their precision, timbre and stability. The current state of 12AX7's find the TUNG-SOL the most consistent, reliable and robust performer. They sound really good.

Experimenting with different miniatures WILL give you different results. It's also fun to personally tailor your "own" sound in doing that experimentation which requires no biasing, mods, etc.

Just something to consider.

Last edited: Jan 19, 2015 11:15:25

Thanks for the nice responses guys! I really appreciate it. I wish I could have thrown in some more units, just to have everything covered.

Dario is spot on! The tubes have such a big impact on the overall sound and response of the reverb. Shop around and test them. Same goes for pans.

Some words to the manufacturers:
Björn: your Surfy Bear is THE reverb to get if someone wants to experiment or is on a short budget. It is - I dare to say it - the best (non tube) reverb out there!
Dario: thanks for building those outstanding reverbs! I love my Gomez! It is pleasure doing business with you and an honor to be playing your gear.
Fender: What have you become? Corporate, greedy businessmen! I had so much trouble to get this unit to sound anywhere near good.

The Hicadoolas

Last edited: Jan 19, 2015 11:16:58

If I could get low-noise, vintage, NOS, RCA 12AT7's and 7025's at great bulk pricing I would be stocking them in the G-Spring (and the Gomez amps) without doubt.

Last edited: Jan 19, 2015 11:21:10

ludobag wrote:

don't know really who are the them ?
but the B is my least favorite

for me the E is the Frv1
B Strymon
A Gomez
C Surfy bear
D Ri

then with the result
i have invert the A and D
i will have relisten to know what i am prefer between us Big Grin
but if you are not in the room it is more harder too choose in fact ,more over if you play them in blind sure the FRV1 and Flint be recognise immediatly
But as i heard not sure in live context you can tell the difference much in beetween them

This was a superb thread. Yes, for the excellent content. Also for its usefulness in allowing to us to listen and think; to consider out own tastes and then compare it to those of the many.

I use a Boss FRV-1 and in the end have become very pleased with what it allows me to do. But that came only with much work - experimenting and listening.

Here is how I use it... 1) Setting have to change quite a bit when going from one guitar to another, especially if the high frequency output of the guitars differ a great deal. I.e., what is perfect for my Jag is a bit different from what I use with my Dano, and more different from what I use with my Jazzmaster.

2) I have found that I can get what is to me an ideal sound using the pedal, not alone, but along with a gentler, more modern sounding (i.e., less 'boingy') spring reverb, be it the the tank on my `76 Twin Reverb or (even better) with the simulated one attached to the Blackface 2-12 setting on my Line 6 Duoverb. So dwell on the FRV-1 is typically at only "4" and the rest filled in post pre-amp.

For me the goal is a slightly more 'boingy' sound than my favorite on the demos -- Unit "A" -- which turned out to be the Fender.

Settings are key. Along with out own preferences and tastes.

Thanks again!

-don

Still rockin' after all these years!

Last edited: Jan 19, 2015 11:47:07

This test has answered a lot of questions. Thanks a lot Sancho!

DannySnyder wrote:

Great job! This topic should get a sticky.

Better then 'yet another' sticky perhaps...?

When I get done buttoning up my (almost) old Strat I'm going to put a link to it in the Reverb Wiki.

Aside from getting EVERYTHING wrong LMAO I didn't bash or get drooly over any of 'em with opinions, but clearly mistook the Flint for the Gomez tank. That actually tells me again that the Flint is quite the pedal, for a pedal.

This has been a really neat thing.
Thumbs Up

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

stratdancer wrote:

I better order another Surfy Bear board for the hell of it before Bjourn sells the patent!

If Bjorn got an offer for the patent, that's an indication that he shouldn't sell the patent.
Hmmm

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

Excellent thread! Really interesting to hear the differences between the units. While my guesses were close but not quite, the Flint and the FRV-1 did end up at the bottom of the list. Still, they both sounded very good and very usable.

SanchoPansen wrote:

I wish I could have thrown in some more units, just to have everything covered.

Me too, I've played a RI and a Surfy Bear and I was wondering where my weapon of choice (Guyatone tube reverb) might have fallen on the list. Anyway at the end of the day it's the music that matters and I believe that there is something for everyone here.
Thanks again, Sancho, really stellar work!

Bill S._______
image

HELLDIVER on Facebook

Man that Catalinbread Topanga Reverb was Killer!!! Laughing

ps//thanks for doing the shootout, I love stuff like this and it confirms that my tube spring tank ears just want to hear 6G15

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969

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