Amp reverb vs. external

[Al Midkiff]

I am new to PSG and was wondering if anyone could tell me if an add-on reverb unit is any better than the built in reverb on my Peavey NV-1000.

[Lane Gray]

Yes. There is currently a thread on the subject. There are some really good pedals for under $150. Or for $30 or so, you can change out the tank in your Peavey. I believe it came with a 2 spring medium delay tank, 3 spring long delay sounds better. There are also (I like this option) stand-alone tube units based on the Fender reverb circuit.

[Dave Mudgett]

I don't think there's any stock answer for this question. It depends on what you like. I personally prefer the mechanical spring reverb on most amps to digital reverb. But if you prefer a plate or hall reverb, you may prefer a different approach. I had a NV 1000 for several years, and I thought the reverb sounded good. Maybe not quite as good as on an old Fender Deluxe or Twin Reverb, but still good and quite similar.

Sometimes changing a 2-spring Accutronics pan to a 3-spring pan sounds better, and sometimes not, to my ears. Sometimes changing the tank delay-time can help - it depends on the specific reverb circuit, the individual reverb pan, and your personal preferences. To my ears, individual pans, even with exactly the same nominal specs, can sound different.

It is sometimes also possible to make slight changes in the reverb circuit to alter the reverb sound. Sometimes changing a coupling capacitor or increasing/decreasing the amount of signal that goes through can help bring out the sound of a particular reverb pan.

I think the question is, "Do you like the sound of the NV 1000 reverb?". If it sounds good to you, it is good. If you think it's lacking, it may be worth it to try one of several reverb units. I have both a TC Electronics Hall of Fame and a Wampler Faux Spring pedal, as well as numerous rack effects, and various modelers. Each of these have varying reverb quality. Frankly, of all the effects, I think the spring reverb on my old-version Pod 2 units are far and away the best of the ones I have, and certainly closest to an actual old Fender tube amp reverb. The Hall of Fame has some very good plate and hall reverbs, but the spring reverb is pretty boingy to my tastes. I prefer the Wampler Faux Spring for the spring reverb sound, and sometimes use these with my old tweed amps, which don't have reverb at all. I really like the spring reverb sound of the old Electro Harmonix Holy Grail (I believe the original is out of production). But the first one I got had serious clock-hum and after I exchanged it for a second one with the same problem, I just took it back and got my money back.

Probably the easiest and best way to find out what you like is to simply take your guitar and amp to a store with lots of choices and make your own comparisons. This kind of thing is very much subject to personal preferences.

[Al Midkiff]

Thanks for input Lane and Dave... As stated I am new to PSG, however, have been in music for 40+ years.. Have had many steel players in various bands and some had better sound than others.. While my NV-1000 sounds pretty good it is not exactly what I want to hear. I really appreciate the help.. You both gave me some good ideas..

[Lane Gray]

BTW, my experience with outboard reverb is limited to, in order of preference (favorite first):
Holy Grail, EHX. Great sound, simple operations.
MPX100, Lexicon. Better sound, more complex. I'd use it in the studio, live I'd rather have just a single knob
RV5, BOSS. Good, but not as good or as simple asthe Grail.

[Clete Ritta]

I like the sound of the spring reverb in the NV1000 and use it sparingly, but leave it on all the time. I also occasionally use a Boss RV-3 for a wetter wash of digital reverb and delay.

I also did the mod chip replacement in the Peavey which was an improvement over the stock chip sound. Real easy to do. There are 5 chips. Its either Burr Brown OPA 2134 or 2604, I forget which.

[Tony Glassman]

I found a new HOF reverb pedal eBay for cheap, so I pulled the trigger and it finally arrived yesterday .........So far so "great".

First off it is "true bypass", so it doesn't bleed off any tone the way many pedals do.

The spring, plate and hall reverb choices are very nice sounding. You really have to dial the hall verb back in the mix, but when done, it yields an 60"s Fender/Standel vibe. The plate is more modern sounding but very usable. Also, a short vs long tail toggle switch is a nice feature for fast vs slow ballad playing. In the short-tail position, it cuts down on the "reverb jumble" often heard often heard when reverb is used during speed picking.

Is it the best reverb I've ever heard?......No, some of the older and more expensive Lexicons are sweeter, but the reverb options on this pedal are great sounding, very usable, easy to dial in and at a reasonable price-point ($105).

It's a great improvement over the Peavey and Boss stuff IMHO

[Donny Hinson]

I know very few people who would say that Peavey has a good-sounding reverb. It seems to be a very common complaint with their amps, especially among pedal steelers.

[Bill Moore]

If you are not sure what you want, a multi-effects unit is a cost effective way to try out several types. I use the Digitech RP155, it has 5-6 different reverbs, and several types of delay, and other effects. I do have to admit that I personally don't care for reverb by itself. I usually use a delay, with 0 repeats, and sometimes add reverb at about 1/2 the level of the delay. It's a cleaner sound, and I like that better. The 155 is only about 100.00, cheaper than most of the delay only pedals, a very good value. And you can download the X-Edit program from Digitech, which allows you the easily adjust all the parameters of any of the effects, on your computer. So you can set them up to sound any way you like.

[Dave Grafe]

If you are truly new at this I suggest you stick with the amp reverb - as very many of us do - and focus on making the most of your hands and ears. Once you have developed some technique and ideas that require them you will know what additional effects you need.

[Al Midkiff]

Thanks to everyone...
I think I have a general idea as to the what I will try next.. I respect everyone's advice and input. You have been very helpful.