The Steel Guitar Forum

I want a stomp box that will provide a good reverb, and the possibility of a very subtle delay when I want it. I'd really like a knob where I can vary the delay level from nothing on up.

When I use delay, I use it very subtly- I don't want it obvious.

I have a nice old Traynor bass master head which is very close to a fender bassman or a marshall plexi and I need some reverb in front of it for steel.

Now, I do have a digitech genesis 3 and a peavey transtubefex. These will do the job- but, they are larger than I would like, and are too prone to confusion on stage. I don't want modes- I just want to turn a knob. Its funny- I'm a very technically oriented guy, but I just don't want to be messing with complex interfaces on stage. My vision is not what it used to be, and some of these things have tiny labels.

What about the Boss Rv3? What I can't tell from the descriptions is whether I can dial in the level of delay and get it low enough.

Thanks-
Lynn Kasdorf

The Boss RV3 uses modes too (the 4th knob on right), so unfortunately there is no control of the delay level relative to reverb level in those modes that combine both.
I use the number 7 mode.
I use the rate knob (3rd under red light) to set delay time from 0 (essentially off at fastest speed) to around 11 oclock ~400 ms.

Got mine from a local forumite a few years ago and its been on the end of my pedalboard since, but to answer your question no there is no delay level control in the reverb/delay modes.

Clete

The "Boss RV3" pedal is no longer in production. "Behringer" manufactures a knockoff version that is available through "American Musical Supply"(AMS). (Due to the questionable quality control issues reported on Behringer products, I would recommend not purchasing this unit used.)

I think to get accurate control over both reverb and delay, you need two separate units.
I had a problem with the RV3, just not enough adjustments.
A good combination is the Boss FRV-1 reverb and the Boss DD3 delay.

Lynn: I've had good luck running from a Digitech RV7 to an Analogman AR20DL delay to a '75 Session.Dial in as much or as little as you want.The analog delay is warmer sounding than the digital units I've tried and you can make it as subtle as you like.The RV7 will give you just about any reverb you're looking for with that Lexicon chip.

Bob Bender wrote:Lynn: I've had good luck running from a Digitech RV7 to an Analogman AR20DL delay to a '75 Session.Dial in as much or as little as you want.The analog delay is warmer sounding than the digital units I've tried and you can make it as subtle as you like.The RV7 will give you just about any reverb you're looking for with that Lexicon chip.

Hi Bob- long time no see! The analogman looks great, but $280?? I paid less than that for my Nash 112 amp. My delay needs are almost trivial, so I could use a cheapie, I imagine. I'll look into the RV7. Thanks!
Lynn

Lynn:The Analogman ARDL20 has been discontinued.They're rare,I paid $150 for mine on CL.They have one with a longer delay now,not sure of the price or the wait. I'm just down the road if you want to give it a try with my '55 T8 S'Master.You may find with the RV7, you won't want delay.

Lynn, I have one of these and really like it and the company: http://store.strymon.net/products/blueS ... rator.html
I does have a variable control for delay as well and if you only need a little, it might suffice.

Gerry,
Thats an interesting pedal.
I like that it has chorus too.
Please tell more about the delay features.
I only see Pre Delay, which is not the same as delay but rather the time before the reverb echo is heard.
What is the trails setting like?
How do you control the delay separate from the reverb?

Clete

I think to get accurate control over both reverb and delay, you need two separate units.
I had a problem with the RV3, just not enough adjustments.

I agree, Erv. I bought a RV-3 a few years ago because so many here on the forum were raving about it... and I couldn't stand it. You can't separate the reverb from the delay and adjust each independently, so you're stuck with the few preset mixes they give you. I'm much happier with two separate units.

Lynn Kasdorf wrote:...I don't want modes- I just want to turn a knob...

Although the RV3 has modes, I generally just turn one knob (delay time) so it is simple enough for me.

Doug,
I primarily got the RV3 just for reverb.
The clean digital delay mix in mode 7 is useful to me for long delay on occasion.
I used to use the DD3 but felt that the RV3 captured that digital delay sound well enough.
More often though, I prefer the analog sounding short delay of my MXR Carbon Copy, and use that for delay. I agree the independent control is much more useful.
I like to use the combination of short analog delay and long digital delay together on slow tempo songs sometimes.

Clete

Clete,,,"Please tell more about the delay features.
I only see Pre Delay, which is not the same as delay but rather the time before the reverb echo is heard.
What is the trails setting like?
How do you control the delay separate from the reverb? "

Yes, only pre delay which is knob adjustable and seperate from the reverb control hss a distinct delay sound...not good if you want the multi repeat and long delays for syncopation effects...
The 'decay' control with the 'mix' control cn put you outside w/ almost nothing to inside a handball court or more with plate, room (or hall if you increase the decay) and spring...much like most of these better quality boxes. I probably should get off my butte and post some sounds with a steel but the Strymon website and youtube have a number of samples with guitar to give you an idea of the sound. Just do a youtube search for 'bluesky reverb'.....

I tried an RV3 and as others mentioned you don't have control over the unit that is needed. You are stuck with the reverbs that they have built in.

Another problem is it slightly "colors" (changes) the tone of the guitar through the unit (and in bypass). Some stompboxes do this and others do not (e.g. the Boss DD-5 does NOT change the tone).

As others have noted you are better off with two separate units, or get a POD XT or X3 (what I use for reverb and delay).

I use the Boss RV3 - agree it colors the tone of the amp somewhat. I wonder if anyone else is doing what I do..

With my Nashville 400, or LA400, I run two cables from the Hilton pedal to the amp, one direct to one of the inputs, no amp reverb. The other cable goes through the RV3 to the other amp input, then I mix the amount of reverb/delay signal with the clean dry one.

I found the amps built in reverb seems to suck the tone from the amp, doing it this way that doesnt happen. And, there is just something about having that clean, dry guitar signal in there alongside the reverb... Sounds very rich and full. If the tone is being colored, you can't tell. And you can run the reverb pretty hot if you want without the tone getting swallowed up in it, because half of the signal remains dry no matter what.

For reverb and delay, I use RV3 setting 7, Tone at 0, Rtime around 11:00, mix to taste, usually around 8:30 ~ 8:45. YMMV

I never was very happy with the tone of the NV or the RV3 until I hooked them up this way. Now I love them both. Especially since installing Ken's upgrade chips in the NV and LA.

Tom,
Very interesting solution to a common problem, and a good alternative use of the second output of the VP.
Ive been looking at an 8 or 10 channel true bypass loop pedal for my collection of Boss, MXR, Fulltone, Dunlop and DigiTech tone changers.
Steve Morse has an interesting way of controlling delay signal with a volume pedal by sending a split signal into a delay and second (or maybe third?) amp. This concept of retaining your dry signal in one amp and using a second amp (or channel as you describe) as a wet effect blend makes good sense to me.
Unfortunately I use the second channel of my NV 1000 for guitar (or mandolin), and run the pedals thru the post loop. I guess I am going to haul 2 amps sooner or later.
Back in the day I used a Korg A2 multi effect processor for guitar. I programmed my presets, and used one pedal (with 6 buttons). It sure was convenient, but somehow sounded so much more "processed" completely in the digital realm than the equivalent stomp box chain. The plus side is that you have more control of shaping the effects and output levels digitally. Once programmed, the presets always sound exactly the same.
The MultiFX rack unit requires a learning curve in programming, which goes for most modern DSP these days. There's either too many knobs and dials, or none at all. Not an option for the OP.

Tom Diemer wrote:For reverb and delay, I use RV3 setting 7, Tone at 0, Rtime around 11:00, mix to taste, usually around 8:30 ~ 8:45...Now I love them both. Especially since installing Ken's upgrade chips in the NV and LA.

I use the same settings on the RV3 and also love the sound of my NV1000 with Ken's chips.
Sorry for the off topic drifting, its Monday.

Now, about that elusive single reverb/delay stomp box with delay level control Lynn was seeking...


Clete

For now, I guess I just need to get more comfortable with the Genesis 3 that I have. It does sound good, but I'm a little paranoid about using it on a gig. I entered in the Emmons settings from the buddyemmons.com site and that sounds great.

One isssue I have is that the power supply connection is marginal- it tends to wiggle loose and reset into "red" mode. I tried to take it apart so I could solder the power supply in, but I was unable to get it apart. In the mean time, I have routed the power cord underneath and secured with duct tape, and it seems to work fairly reliably.

Are the POD units fairly simple to operate? I see the pocket pods going faily cheaply as well as the pod XT. The pocketpod would fit in my pakaseat, but I wonder how it sounds.

Reading about the RV7, it appears to be a very nice unit and probably sounds great, but they don't seem to sell in the bottom feeder price range that I'm accustomed to. I guess I'll have to spend a little cash. I've spent so doggone much money on steel gear over the years, I'm trying to avoid the "this magic box will make me sound better" syndrome and just work on my playing instead.

I used my transtubefex with my stereo steel on exactly one gig. It sounded pretty nice during sound check, but I changed something mid-gig and I recall there being a lot of hiss and I was unable to get back where I wanted to be in the heat of the moment. There were several places to set gain in my signal path and the stereo steel is a hiss monster if you turn up the master gain very high.

Anyway, thanks for the discussion about all this.
Lynn