New Reverb Pedal

[Lily]

I finally got some reverb for my setup! It's a Electro-harmonix Holy Grail reverb pedal. Amazing!!! I really was worried about the cheese factor with a reverb "pedal" but this thing is amazing!!! It has 3 settings: Hall reverb, Flurb (flange reverb), and Spring reverb. It has completed my sound. It sounds GREAT!

I'll try to put a sample of it up later...

Oh, and another thing I discovered last night...I have been using a Monster Bass big bottom ultra low frequency cable (Spose originally bought it for the Alembic)...I was using it initially because of the 90 degree jack. Last night, I pulled out a Spectraflex cable instead. It wasn't sounding great - so I went and got my Monster instead. THAT CABLE is sooooooo much better. Not only because it is quiet. You should try one (if they still make it which I'm not sure) - it allows so much more of the range of frequencies thru...it's really a HUGE difference. And I usually hate monster cables - we've had many and they are never reliable - they were all crap - except this one.

 

[ElChivo]

I've been intreseted in hearing how that pedal sounds. What kind of Monster Cable are you using? Last year I switched over to the low-priced Monsters, and could not believe how much they blow my Spectaflexs away.

 

[tonejunkie]

Lily

I use to be a big fan of Monster cable too. I spent a fortune on it. However, the George L cable sounds better. Not only that, it's cheaper, you can make it any length you like and if it gets a short, you just clip the end of the cable and screw the connector back on. If you like Monster, look into it.

 

[Dave Paetow]

I tried a bunch of Monster Cables, I couldn't hear much difference at all except for the thick one that was almost as big as a garden hose. That one had more high end.

 

[tonejunkie]

Lily,

I forgot to mention: Monster cable is polarity tested and marked. There should be an arrow on the cable. The arrow should point to the amp for proper polarity (pointed toward the guitar is reverse polarity). Try playing through the chord, then flip it and listen to the difference. The correct polarity should sound slightly duller but smoother. It's more pronounced with single coils than humbuckers, so if you have a Fender, try it with that first. Using one that is already tested is a good reference in order to to learn to hear the difference. I learned about this prior to owning Monster cable (which is one of the things that drew me to it), and it helps, both improving your sound, but also in making your sound more consistent. It solved a big part of the mystery of why one day my stuff sounded would so good and one day it didn't. Once you hear the difference, it's easy to tests and mark non-tested cable like the George L's.

 

[Lily]

Yeah, it's the thicker cable like Dave said. We only got it for use with the bass, otherwise, I wouldn't know about it...
Lure, its Monster Bass Big Bottom Ultra Low Frequency Cable. Not sure they even make this one anymore. And Tone, it doesn't have the polarity arrows on it.

As I said before, we don't buy monster cable anymore. When we got that one, we bought half a dozen regular cables at the same time - those all crapped out on us LONG ago. Just this bigger bass cable is choice. (And we dig the George L's too. )

Lure, this pedal is so cool. Absolutely quiet, no tone robbing at all , and there's also a wet/dry knob so you can dial in as much or as little as you like...I'm psyched. I think it's all I'm going to need.

Here's a link where you can check out some sound samples:


Holy Grail

 

[Ed A]

Hey Lily, this is really cool, because Im in the middle of trying to find a decent reverb pedal myself. I have the Boss but it sounds too digital. I recently got the Little Lanelai pedal which has an actual spring reverb pan in it. The reverb sound is very good but what I dont like is when I step on the button and put the reverb on, the guitar volume drops slightly. I was interested in this EH pedal you got. Do you notice any drop in signal at all when you engage the reverb? Do you know if its true-bypass?

 

[Lily]

Ed I just went and played and listened for a drop in volume. Both Spose and I listened intensely for it - IF there is one, I'd have to say its SO miniscule that I wouldn't call it discernable. It would not be noticeable to MOST ears (although I realize I'm trying to predict whether "Ed A ears" will pick up something my ears can't.)

I do not believe it is a true bypass - if so, it seems like that would be a touted feature in the literature - and they don't state that anywhere.

As far as "digital" thing - I know exactly what you mean, and not so with this pedal. I swear, this on the spring reverb setting with the Boogie setup beats the Hot Rod DeVille's reverb quality any day. And I really like that you have so much control with the wet/dry knob. They designed it so that from 0 to 12 oclock, the amount of effect added is subtle - then from 12 on, it's more dramatic...cool...

The hall reverb is cool too. I plugged the Hofner in and used that setting, it had this real surf thing. Giant! Sounds sooo good. I wasn't able to play the Hofner thru my rig before because of the lack of reverb. The Les Paul was the only guitar that sounded good without reverb...(it NEVER sounds bad hee hee) Now the Hofner sounds excellent thru it as well...

The "Flurb" (flange/reverb) is good, but it's something that would need to be used in small doses to avoid cheesiness...

It doesn't use batteries. You have to use their supplied wall wart.

For 99 bucks, Ed, I don't see how you could go wrong.

 

[EdA]

Sounds cool, I think Ill get one and compare it to the Little Lanalei. whichever sounds better Ill keep. It certainly cheaper than the Lanalei ($180). The Lanalei is cool because I think its the only floor pedal that has an actual reverb pan in it. They said they could mod the pedal so I dont get any volume drop, Ill let them try that. In the meantime, Ill get the EH too. Thanks!