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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Drippy Reverb Pedal Advice

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Hi, I'm struggling to get much sense out of other forums so I thought I'd ask here. I've been through loads of reverb pedals and nothings cutting it; I've concluded after researching it that the sound I want is drip.

I've narrowed it down to 2; the EHX Oceans 11 and the Source Audio True Spring. Which is better do you think? I don't like the fact that the EHX is buffered (it will be last in the chain and the buffer will be pointless) but it's much cheaper and has a lot more stuff. That said, the Source pedal looks much better. But I know the EHX drips; does the Source?

I know you're probably going to tell me that nothing will come close to a reverb tank and I'm wasting my time, but I live in London in a flat and I simply don't have room for a reverb tank or large outboard spring tray like a Surfy Bear. A pedal emulation is the best I can do so I'm looking for the best one...

I play several guitars through a hand wired Champ clone.

Thank you

Can I throw the Anasound Elements with the Brute tank into the mix? Anybldy compared them?

sgx wrote:

Hi, I'm struggling to get much sense out of other forums so I thought I'd ask here. I've been through loads of reverb pedals and nothings cutting it; I've concluded after researching it that the sound I want is drip.

I've narrowed it down to 2; the EHX Oceans 11 and the Source Audio True Spring. Which is better do you think? I don't like the fact that the EHX is buffered (it will be last in the chain and the buffer will be pointless) but it's much cheaper and has a lot more stuff. That said, the Source pedal looks much better. But I know the EHX drips; does the Source?

I know you're probably going to tell me that nothing will come close to a reverb tank and I'm wasting my time, but I live in London in a flat and I simply don't have room for a reverb tank or large outboard spring tray like a Surfy Bear. A pedal emulation is the best I can do so I'm looking for the best one...

I play several guitars through a hand wired Champ clone.

Thank you

I tried a Source Audio True Spring and was unimpressed. There’s no reason to avoid buffers. Actually, a buffer at the end of your board is actually a good thing. It lowers the output impedance for the patch cable to the amp and reduces capacitive losses. I have a buffer at the beginning and the end of my board, plus one between two unbuffered pedals. Buffers don’t hurt anything.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Hmm, but why were you unimpressed? Any comparitive advice? How did it stack up against it's competition (quite specifically in terms of the drip aspect) or are you unimpressed after comparing it to vintage reverb tanks?

I've had Oceans 11, Source Audio True Spring, FRV-1 (x3), Topanga (x2), Strymon Flint, Holy Grail Nano and Holy Grail big box. I've also had Fender reissue reverb unit (x3), Vintage Fender 1964 Reverb unit (my favorite, sold it and miss it) and now have a Surfybear Metal.

Out of the pedals, the difference between the True Spring, FRV-1, Oceans 11 and Topanga is maybe 20%. Best bang for your buck would be the Oceans 11 - drip is pretty good but the reverb tail is a bit digital/fizzy sounding. The True Spring sounds better, can be edited in Nero app and has pretty good tremolos. Is the True Spring way better than Oceans 11 - maybe not by a ton. Your best bet is to play both. (I may actually think the FRV1 is better than the Oceans 11 when it comes to comparing to a Fender Reverb unit)

None of the pedals compare to a Fender reverb unit OR Surfybear.

OK thanks; I have a Tone Buddy subscription and they have the EHX and the Ventris so I can try both of those.

I thought/think the Ventris and True Springs are different reverb algorithms.

You could use the Surfybear with a short tank (9" long). I bet you it would sound just as good as a long tank and certainly better than any of those pedals.

You could probably even mount it on the floor of your amp and then run leads out to the pedal.

Last edited: May 18, 2019 16:01:28

Like I said, I don't have room for that. I get it, I'm going to get a better sound with a proper reverb tank, but that's not an option, I'm really looking for advice based on what's possible for me.

derekirving wrote:

I thought/think the Ventris and True Springs are different reverb algorithms.

Well, apparently the True Spring is based on the spring algorithm from the Ventris. It'll surely be close enough to tell me whether it'll be a good buy.

sgx wrote:

derekirving wrote:

I thought/think the Ventris and True Springs are different reverb algorithms.

Well, apparently the True Spring is based on the spring algorithm from the Ventris. It'll surely be close enough to tell me whether it'll be a good buy.

The True Spring actually offers both their improved spring algorithm and the original Ventris one via the app/PC editor.

sgx wrote:

Hi, I'm struggling to get much sense out of other forums so I thought I'd ask here. I've been through loads of reverb pedals and nothings cutting it; I've concluded after researching it that the sound I want is drip.

I've narrowed it down to 2; the EHX Oceans 11 and the Source Audio True Spring. Which is better do you think? I don't like the fact that the EHX is buffered (it will be last in the chain and the buffer will be pointless) but it's much cheaper and has a lot more stuff. That said, the Source pedal looks much better. But I know the EHX drips; does the Source?

I know you're probably going to tell me that nothing will come close to a reverb tank and I'm wasting my time, but I live in London in a flat and I simply don't have room for a reverb tank or large outboard spring tray like a Surfy Bear. A pedal emulation is the best I can do so I'm looking for the best one...

I play several guitars through a hand wired Champ clone.

Thank you

Source Audio True Spring sounds nice ...but it all comes down to which one you like the best in the end.

It really comes down to your amp your using ...I have modeling rack and tried every amp model possible in it. To get stellar tank reverb you need a very powerful clean sounding amp. Each amp required different Dwell-Mix-settings on the tank. If you change out the guitar that effects the sound as well.

That's why I think there is no such thing as a perfect tank pedal being it all depends on your other gear your using and personal taste. Like I like a 50/50 mix of verb and dry with the settings and rig I'm using, anything else kills the vibe for me. But if I change out the guitar or rig all that changes.

Most people only talk about these pedals or a 60's Fender Tank or other units, but to me its all in the amp you have and the settings all the knobs are at. Try different Bass, Mids, and Treble on the amp with each pedal your using, you will be amazed how different each pedal will perform. If you get good drip in a pedal it might not come through depending on the amp and its settings, That only comes down to experimenting and taste in the end,

I had to add that the output volume if your amp has one needs to be at about 75% to get decent tone and drip that I like. I have powerful amp with input volume about 50% and Presence like 80%. I had to have 15 inch speakers as well to get a classic 1963 sound on many recordings I like. I use a cheap guitar because I like The Surf Teens style tone and sound I get with the cheapo pickups it has in it. Like I said it all depends on your rig and guitar your using, What sounds good on one rig setup won't be that great on another. It all works together.

Another wards most pedal shootouts usually use the same amp and settings for comparison, but different pedals will sound better or worse with different amps and settings. So its not fair to say one pedal is better or not because it all depends on your own personal rig and guitar in use with it.

Last edited: May 20, 2019 04:06:01

I bought and returned a True Spring pedal, and then promptly purchased an Oceans 11. For me, it's not even close. The Oceans has a lot more classic spring surf drip than the True. The True just didn't have the splash that I like. Between the two, I would definitely buy the Oceans. Keep in mind, I am a surf purist (yes, I have a tank in rough blonde and oxblood). Good luck, and let us know which way you decide to go!

MooreLoud.com - A tribute to Dick Dale.

Last edited: Jul 07, 2019 19:12:23

SixStringSurfer wrote:

I own an Oceans 11 and bought and returned a True Spring pedal. For me, it's not even close. The Oceans has a lot more classic spring surf drip than the True. The True just didn't have the splash that I like. Between the two, I would definitely buy the Oceans. Keep in mind, I am a surf purist (yes, I have a tank in rough blonde and oxblood). Good luck, and let us know which way you decid to go!

I spent hours with a True Spring and came away u impressed. I realize that it’s possible to edit the effects, but at that point, I’d prefer to stick with the Topanga, just using the default sound.

IMHO the pedals which get closest to my tank are the Oceans 11 and the Topanga.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

I think if you're playing through a Champ clone, spending extra on the True Spring is not going to make much difference. The O-11 would be fine but I'd get a Topanga hands down over anything in your situation.

Cons to the Topanga are that it sounds best at 18v, and that's not always available. It also has some gating noise at the tail end that annoyed me at high volumes. It also was easy to clip with preamps, though it did sound great with dirt pedals. It also doesn't drip as strong as the O-11 or FRV-1, IME.

I sold my O-11 in a week, mainly because the reverb trails would garble up on single notes. Digital artifacts. Harder to explain is the way the O-11 clamped down my signal, compared to the Topanga which seemed to breathe some 'life' into the overall tone.

I kept my True Spring for another board where traditional surf drip is not the only goal. I like the fact I have 3 trems available, and all the verb tweaks available. I can switch between 6 sounds, two of them with a foot switch. It's drip is authentic, and more prominent than the Topanga, but the dwell needs to be maxed out and tweaked to make it come out to the forefront. It's hard to make that pedal 'messy' like the Topanga. It also completely digitizes the signal. I'm not a purist but I do appreciate analog dry through.

I wish Catalinbread would make a Topanga 2.0 to take the best aspects of the True Spring (better algorithm), the O-11/FRV-1 drip potential, and keep the analog dry pass through using whatever signal preamp that makes that pedal so special.

Big Ryan's latest shootout.

Interesting shootout. The 6G15 was in a class by itself, but there were some excellent sounds among the pedals. Most of the pedals had something good to offer, although a couple left me flat.

The Tre Verb was an interesting sound, but it struck me as being more along the lines of a Hall reverb, or perhaps more correctly, it sounded like a well, wooden bucket and all. I liked it, but it didn’t strike me as a Surf reverb.

The True Spring was very good. It seemed to me to capture the drip of a 6G15 about as well as anything in heard.

The Ocean’s 11 had its charms, but I felt that there were some digital artifacts which betrayed its overall charm. If they could back it off just a bit, it would probably be as good as any pedal tested.

The TC Electronic Drip disappointed me. I’m onboard with TC Electronic overall, but I think that a Hall of Fame or Hall of Fame Mini with one of several available Spring Reverb Toneprints would be a better choice.

The little Spring King surprised me. It was better than I would have imagined.

There were a couple which overdrove the wet signal far too much. The Anasounds pedal at least had a switch, and while I could see this as a 4th set option, when everyone, band and audience alike, is deep in their cups, I wouldn’t use that under most circumstances.

The Anasounds pedal in normal mode was excellent and it is a real Spring reverb. I could see myself using one of these.

My takeaway is as follows: it comes down to packaging. If you want the best sound, you’ll need the largest package, the 6G15. The Surfy Bear comes in a strong second, but either of these options mean one more handful of gear to schlep. (You could package a Surfy Bear into a medium to large pedalboard.) The True Spring would probably be a great choice for some serious drip, ala Astronauts, and from there on down, the field diffuses with some seriously good choices, followed by a few stragglers which bring up the rear.

My money, my tastes, would probably settle on the True Spring, the Anasounds Element or the Catalinbread Topanga (I own two of these), from among the choices offered. Unless you were playing to an audience of Surf guitarists, I doubt that anyone in the audience would care which one you used.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Great comparison demo. Once again, thank you Big Ryan.
To my ears: the pedals seem to nail the in-amp spring reverb sound very well. With respect to the best surf approved drippy 'verb this would be my ranking: 1) Fender 6G15 2) Surfy Bear (and a very, very close second at that) 3) Oceans 11 (wins the true pedal drip award) 4) True Spring (sounds good, but it's a bit of a drop off as a spring tank emulator form the Ocean's 11 IMO) 5) Danelectro Spring Thing (an upset for sure; I don't know if the one Ryan has is just magic, but it does sound awfully good) 6) Topanga (not the drippiest, but has a certain tube like warmth and fidelity that belies being a pedal...I get the feeling that Catalyn Bread could update this pedal and it would be totally killer drippy tank land).

I recently got an Oceans 11. I'm still playing with it but one nice thing about it is there are secondary functions for preamp drive and spring length on the spring setting. That means you can get a nice pristine spring reverb or something more dirty and trashy, and you can also emulate onboard amp reverb with a shorter spring length. On the more extreme settings there is quite a nice drip when palm muted, but things get out of control easily when notes ring out.

Right now I'm playing with it using a humbucker equipped jazz guitar. I've a got a Jag on order, so I'll really give it a go once that arrives. I think too much midrange in the signal going in makes the spring emulation go a little haywire. Traditional jazz tones and surf reverb don't seem to mix well. Razz I'll be curious to see how it reacts to the Jag.

Add me to the list of Oceans 11 fans. It's realistic enough to supplant the tube reverb unit in my effects chain. I haven't turned the selector knob past the spring setting. I've had a couple TC reverb pedals with spring settings that sounded dull in comparison.

Mat

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