SPRING REVERB IS UBIQUITOUS IN THE ELECTRIC
guitar universe—and the tube-powered model
6G15 Fender Reverb unit manufactured in the
early ’60s is considered by many to be the gold
standard for classic surf, rockabilly, country,
psychedelic, and other sounds that rely on more
than a dash of splash. Unlike the onboard reverb
units found in many guitar amps, the Fender
Reverb was a standalone box that you patched
between your guitar and your amp’s input, and
more than a few players have found that its
tube circuitry enhanced their tones even with
the reverb sound bypassed. Both of our contenders
were designed to emulate the sound
of the Fender Reverb—particularly the coveted
1963 version—but they come at the problem
from entirely different angles.
In the digital modeling corner we have the
Boss FRV-1 ’63 Fender Reverb pedal—the latest
in a series of collaborations between Boss and Fender (see the July 2007 issue of GP to
learn how the Boss FDR-1 Fender ’65 Deluxe
Reverb and FBM-1 Fender ’59 Bassman pedals
stacked up against the corresponding
Fender reissue amps). Boasting a textured
old-school-brown finish, vintage-style graphics,
and three controls that mirror those found
on the original device—Mixer, Tone, and
Dwell—the FRV-1 employs Boss’ COSM
(Composite Object Sound Modeling) technology
to recreate the sound of audio signals
routed through tube circuitry and springs in
a metal pan.
In the opposite corner, sporting an elegant
black finish, modern graphics, and a
sleek single-knob design, Lee Jackson’s Mr.
Springgy is an entirely analog device that
is essentially a modified version of a Belton
reverb pan replacement module that
Jackson had a hand in developing. The
actual circuitry is concealed from view and
kept secret by Jackson. Our contestant is a
revised version of Mr. Springgy (the original
was introduced in 2007), which does
away with the reverb level trim pot found
inside the earliest units, and adds a Wet
Only option that switches the Main output
to reverb only and routes the dry sound to
a second output for quasi-stereo operation
using two amps, or when inserting Mr.
Springgy into an amp’s parallel effects loop.
(You can also get a wet/dry split from the
Main output by using a cable with a TRS
connector on one end and two mono plugs
on the other.)
Most of my testing was done playing a
PRS Custom 24 guitar through a Rivera
Venus 6 amplifier, with the pedals patched
between the two, and also in the amp’s serial
effects loop. Additionally, I routed the speaker
output of the amp into a Palmer DI and my
studio monitoring system to really focus in
on the sound. Then, I double-checked my
results using various guitars and amps,
including a vintage Fender Super Reverb. I
was listening for overall sound quality,
responsiveness to playing dynamics, compatibility
with both amp and pedal distortion,
and—most importantly—fidelity to the
vintage Fender Reverb sound.
First off, both of these pedals were
extremely quiet in operation. They hissed a
bit when cranked way up, but never at levels
even approaching the noise generated by
an actual tube reverb. Second, I didn’t experience
any level or tone sucking with either
pedal and it could even be argued that they
enhanced the overall sound by increasing
dynamic response and bringing out additional
harmonics (though that is obviously
a more subjective judgment, and results varied
depending on which guitars and amps
were used). Finally, both pedals functioned
reasonably well when patched into the Venus
6’s effects loop, though not surprisingly,
there were some level-matching issues, and
in both cases I preferred the sound they made
in front of the amp’s input. In case you’re
wondering, neither the FRV-1 or Mr. Springgy
are true bypass designs, but neither was the
original Fender 6G15.
When it came to nailing the Fender
Reverb sound, the FRV-1 definitely had the
edge, more or less faithfully recreating that
unit’s characteristic sproinginess and splash.
If anything, there was a little too much splash
on tap, with a slightly harsh high end on
some settings, making the versatile Mixer
and Tone controls invaluable for crafting
just the right blend. The Dwell control was
similarly versatile, ranging from zero reverb
to a relatively long and smooth decay—
though even when maxed the decay was
shorter than that of the spring reverb in the
Venus 6 or Super Reverb amps. With its
Tone control rolled back to about ten o’clock
to compensate for edginess, the FRV-1 also
sounded quite good with various distortion
pedals and amp distortion (when used in
the effects loop).
Although Mr. Springgy sounds considerably
less like a Fender Reverb than the FRV-
1, it has a very smooth, robust, and pleasing
sound that some players may prefer. There’s
just the right amount of fullness to provide
depth without submerging your sound, the
affected frequencies are nicely equalized, and
the fixed decay time is perfect for all but the
splash-happiest apps. The Mix knob sweeps
a useful range, from dry to drenched—and
if you desire just verb you can activate the
aforementioned internal Wet Only switch or
go with the TRS “Y” cable option. Mr.
Springgy also plays very well with others,
and sounds wonderful with distortion,
whether from a pedal or an amp.
The Boss FRV-1 sounds more like the
standalone Fender Reverb than Mr. Springgy,
making it the winner of our competition—
but in terms of a head-to-head general competition
it was a draw. Both pedals sound a
lot like an actual spring reverb (Mr. Springgy
coming closer to, say, a Demeter RVB-1),
and which works best for a specific player
will be more a matter of personal taste than
sonic superiority. And if you can’t decide,
no worries, as they are priced so reasonably
that you can simply buy both.
SPECS
BOSS (323) 890-3700;
bossus.com
MODEL FRV-1 ’63 Fender Reverb
PRICE $206 retail/$129 street
KUDOS Quiet. Fender-y sounds
galore. Pings like the real thing.
Excellent value.
CONCERNS Highs can be slightly
harsh, especially when used with
distortion.
LEE JACKSON; leejackson.com
MODEL Mr. Springgy
PRICE $389 retail/$199 direct
KUDOS Quiet. Rich, pleasing
sound. Plays well with others.
Versatile outputs.
CONCERNS Less splashy than an
actual Fender Reverb.