Why so few Reverb effects/projects?

[jimbob]

It seems to me there are very few reverb projects out there. GGG site has one and im not sure who else. Any ideas anyone?

[object88]

Probably because reverbs are typically done either digitally (DSP, Lexicon chips, etc.) or with spring reverbs which entail some possibly tricky impedance matching and driver / recovery issues, as well as a large physical size.

Just a guess.

Or, if you were asking where to find reverb projects...  here's a couple:

http://sound.westhost.com/project34.htm

http://www.paia.com/hotspuse.htm
http://www.paia.com/hotsprgs.htm

http://www.solorb.com/elect/reverb/index.html

http://www.montagar.com/~patj/screverb.gif

[WorkBench]

And, many popular amps have reverb already, maybe? There are alot of cool reverbs to ponder though!

[toneman]

MayB cause reverbs aren't stompboxes..
heh?
ever seen a stompbox with springs??
no no no
no "electronic springs" allowed  
chips 4 springs
chips 4 springs
your chips 4 springs

[Johnny Guitar]

http://www.paia.com/hotspuse.htm
http://www.paia.com/hotsprgs.htm

I got a pair of the PAiA Hot Springs reverbs in the late 80s or early 90s and I am quite happy with them. While not as "good" as digital reverb units, I think these are great spring units -- if you like the sound of springs (not too cheap though since each unit has two tanks).

[bwanasonic]

MayB cause reverbs aren't stompboxes..
heh?

:?
Unless it's an EH Holy Grail...


There is also that delightfully horrid reverb that Radio Shack sold for years.

Kerry M

[samzeppelin]

ive seen an stombox with springs   kinda big though
it was a comercial box  

/sam

[JimRayden]

Well, you can also set delays to imitate reverb. I don't think there are much simple delay stompboxes too... Delay is either tape or digital. And tape delays can get pretty large. (unless you make one out of two cassette players, wich I'm planning to try out.)

You need to have really fast tape speed and record/play heads really close together to have a reverb  kind of effect.

-------------
Jimbo

[puretube]

ive seen an stombox with springs   kinda big though
it was a comercial box  

/sam

Danelectro "Spring King":
http://www.guitareffectspedals.com/springking.jpg

[JimRayden]

Lol, I love the "Kick pad" option. That way I wouldn't have to need to kick my amp around if I wanted... umm... spring noise.

I have always loved Danelectro products for their cool appearance and I really love the colours on this one.


----------------
Jimbo

[Narcosynthesis]

the thing i think os most cool about the dano is the kick pad n it, so you can kick the pedal to get those boingey sounds (form the spring bouncing about off the sides)

as for why there isnt more reverb/delay diys, its because they are usually digital, or use a lot fo expensive (and sometimes rare) bbd chips

David

[JimRayden]

I have a little uestion on tape echoes. Let's say I put the tape there as a short loop. What would happen to the tape in long perspective? Would the tape dampen and sound worse and worse? How quick?


------------
Jimbo

[casey]

i think i have a schem of a verb somewhere on my site, but dont know how small it would be !  

[MartyMart]

I have a little uestion on tape echoes. Let's say I put the tape there as a short loop. What would happen to the tape in long perspective? Would the tape dampen and sound worse and worse? How quick?


------------
Jimbo

Jim, I used to have a "Watkins CopyKat" years ago, which as you know used small tape "loops" made from quater inch tape.
I gigged a lot with it and it made a great noise ( both echo and hisss )
I used to have to change the tape after every 3rd gig, so they dont last very long.
In the end I spliced my own tapes for it, from better quality quater inch mastering tape, they lasted twice as long and were half the price !!

Marty.

[petemoore]

Buy Digital...TWMPG
 Use Tube...get amp with Reverb
 Build Tube...when you need to...
 Use ALOT of Reverbs, one for each different reverb setting and or source...easier to set up, gives better reverb effect than dumping everything into 'the' Reverb..depending on Application.

[sysexguy]

http://www.vanamps.com/reverbamate.html

[Mark Hammer]

Hmmm.  Once is an FYI.  Four times starts to become advertising, but nevermind....

I *HAVE* to scan and post Craig O'Donells (I think) article from POLYPHONY on "Why Spring Reverb Will Never Die" that appeared in the early 1980's.  Terrific article, prescient, and bang on.

Written as digital delays started to blossom, the gist of it was that springs are *mechanical* devices that could produce a broader palette of tonal colours because of that, including counter-intuitive and unexpected sounds.

I guess an interesting analogy is to think of them as being "like" guitar strings.  The way you pick strings will determine the tone,  Similarly, the way you *sense* the strings you've picked also determines the tone.  Driving springs differently produces different effects, which is why the "traditional" 3-knob Fender Reverb (Dwell, Tone, Mix) is so popular.  HOWEVER, there is more to reverb life than simply driving harder or softer.  There is the question of:

1) where you tap the input signal from (totally clean at source, or downstream post-effects/EQ?)

2) reverb-specific pre-eq

3) reverb-specific post-eq

4) reverb-specific dynamic control (e.g., anti-sproing limiting)

5) spatial use of reverb (e.g., separate reverb "channel", with own amp/speaker, the way Roland approached chorus in the JC120 amps)

....and a universe of other options.  A buddy of mine yesterday toldme of an experiment he did years ago where he patched in a spring reverb in the regeneration loop of a chorus, describing the sound as other-worldly.

One needs to stop thinking of reverb as some sort of fixed condiment like ketchup or mustard that you put on the side and dip your food into in varying amounts, and start thinking of it as a dish in its own right, or at least as a gourmet sauce that can be seasoned in many ways to transform the main dish.  Perhaps the existing posted projects assume the user/builder will do that themselves, and only supply the basics.  Perhaps they're simply too much in a rut about how to think about reverbs.

[petemoore]

Top Reverb Sounds IMO:
 Getting a big amp into a 'hall 'n chamber' [cathedral ?..lol]...hard to beat that Reverb...not portable though.
 Hanging out in a Cave, or Large bathroom with a high percentage of wall surfaces having mirror or tile. Just Great, but, Also not portable.
 Shelved Water tank with quality components...amp 'n speaker for driver and Mic for recovery...another hard to beat quality of tone, hardly portable...has to be a rather large metal tank, like for home/industrial oil storage for heaters...opened and shelve trays [for holding water] installed.
----------------------------------  l
  ---------------------------------l
----------------------------------  l
 The longer the path the wave has to travel...and the smoothness of the sides the wave will 'bounce off of...the better the length of delay and high end content...
 Tube/Spring Reverb...best portable Reverb I know of.
 Spring Reverb...probably fairly close, I don't know.
 Digital...Best cheep Reverb.
 Analog...I'd go Tube or digital first...might be cool, sounds like alotta trubbles and fewer bubbles.

[JimRayden]

I think I'll start experimenting with tapes. I guess a 60-minute tape would take it a while before starting to hiss and die. Gonna be fun.

What about thinking of a combined tape/spring reverb? would give lots of cool results. For example, the tape to give a canyon echoe and spring to smoothen it out. I love that idea.

Hmm... anyone know how to build a reverse tape or spring delay/echo? I can't think of a solution currently. Well, I think that's the only thing digital boxes are good at.

But yea, as someone told before, it feels great to have some mechanical action in your pedals or amps.

-----------
Jimbo

[puretube]

http://www.alldatasheet.co.kr/datasheet-pdf/view/MITSUBISHI/M65841.html

maybe one or two can be found in surplus shops...