Best Guitar Reverb Pedal Reviews (Guide 2017)

A guitar reverb pedal is a must when you want to add a little or a lot of delay to your sounds. Where amps may have provided you with their own brand of reverb in the past, reverb pedals allow you to choose the best amount of reverb for your music so that you can add some flavor to your performances. Whether you want to add a subtle amount of reverberation or if you want to add a mighty amount of space to your music by using a church or hall emulation reverb setting, you will be able to do just that when you choose the right kind of reverb pedal.

These best guitar reverb pedal reviews will look at some of the top reverb pedals on the market today so that you can make the best decision about which one will be right for you. You will be able to find reverb pedals that are compact, basic and affordable for when you’re practicing at home, or more impressive reverb pedals for when you want to make a big impression when you’re on the stage.

• BEHRINGER RV600
• 3.9 customer rating
• Main features: Real Sound Modeling; Mix, Decay, Time, Type, Tone and Trails controls
• Reverbs: 11

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• Boss FRV-1
• 4.4 customer rating
• Main features: controls for Dwell, Tone, and Mix, tube-driven reverb
• Reverbs: 5

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• TC Electronic Hall of Fame
• 4.7 customer rating
• Main features: TonePrint, True Bypass, Stereo in & out, Analog-Dry-Through
• Reverbs: 10

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• Electro-Harmonix HOLY GRAIL NANO
• 4.5 customer rating
• Main features: True bypass, 96DC-200BI power supply included
• Reverbs: 3

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• Wampler Faux Spring
• 4.8 customer rating
• Main features: High grade film capacitors and resistors, true bypass, 2.8ms max reverb time, Controls: level, tone, depth
• Reverbs: 1

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• Electro-Harmonix Cathedral
• 3.8 customer rating
• Main features: 24-bit A/D/A converters, True stereo inputs and outputs, Damping/Tone control
• Reverbs: 8

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Top 6 Guitar Reverb Pedals Reviewed

TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb Pedal

TC is a brand that you can trust when it comes to choosing a great reverb pedal and the TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb Pedal is no exception. For the past 20 years, this reverb pedal has been a firm favorite amongst musicians.

You can choose from 10 different types of reverb when you choose this pedal and it is easy to operate. With stereo quality input and output, you can be sure that this pedal really will deliver and the tonal options give more depth to your music.

The 10 types of reverb include plates, spring and churches so that you have as much diversity as possible when you use this pedal. You will be able to experiment with different sounds so that you can get the right reverb effect for your needs.

As there is no set rule for using reverb with music, this pedal offers you plenty of choice. You’ll be able to choose the reverb that fits with your musical style and with analog dry-through, you can even ensure that you can mix in your dry signal.

3 controls give you all the tonal options that you could possibly need. These dials allow you to change the decay, tone and level so that you can create the perfect sound. The mini toggle feature allows you to set the time between the direct sound and the reverb sound. This means that you can delay the reverb until you want it to kick in. This is a great reverb pedal that gives you all the opportunities that you need to let your creativity run wild.

Behringer Reverb Machine RV600

The Behringer Reverb Machine RV600 is the ultimate reverb pedal for your needs when you’re looking for the best guitar reverb pedal for a range of musical genres.

With the Behringer RV600 you’ll get all the reverbs that you need from classical to more modern studio reverbs. These are easily controlled with a simple to use footswitch. You can be sure of the best possible sound quality too thanks to the up to date DSP technology that ensures real acoustic sounding reverbs, created with advanced algorithms. You’ll be able to choose from spring, plate, echo, room, hall and even space sounds. Some of these reverbs are like nothing you’ve heard from a footswitch before and you’ll be able to create your own special sounds to add memorable effects and enhancements.

You can shape the sound of your music thanks to the on board controls. These include mix, decal, time, tone, type and trail. You’ll also know at a glance if the unit is on or off, thanks to the indicator LED. The LED is blue so that it is not too distracting.

This reverb foot pedal does not come with an AC power adapter, but it does take 9v batteries that will last for a little while before they need to be changed. If you would prefer to have continuous performance without worrying about the power cutting out, it may be an idea to purchase an AC adapter for the pedal.

The Behringer Reverb Machine RV600 is a durable pedal that is made with the highest quality components to ensure that it will last for as long as possible.

Boss FRV-1 63 Fender Reverb Pedal

When you think of Fender, you are reminded of warm and rich reverbs, but the type of natural sounding reverb effects are difficult to replicate with an effects pedal. Even if you’ve tried other high quality reverb pedals, many of them may not meet your expectations, but you’ll be really impressed when you try the Boss FRV-1 63. This reverb pedal not only offers you stunning durability and ease of use, but it can offer you all the reverb and enhancements that you may require, from subtle reverbs to full on metal tones.

By balancing the dry amp signal with the tone, it is possible to achieve some great sounding effects with this reverb pedal, and you’re not likely to be disappointed. For concerts and even recording, this is the reverb pedal that you need.

This pedal will run on a 9v battery, making it as portable as possible. You won’t need to worry about the battery giving out on you half way through a performance either as it will last for around 10.5 hours from a full charge and depending on the type of battery that you use.

The pedal itself is compact and rugged. You can stomp on this pedal over and over without having to worry about breaking it. It also has a really cool looking, almost retro appearance and will fit in well with any other Fender kit that you may have. The rugged Boss construction ensures that the housing is robust and durable too.

Electro-Harmonix HOLY GRAIL NANO Reverb Pedal

If you’re looking for a good reverb pedal for the money you’ll pay, the Electro-Harmonix HOLY GRAIL NANO Reverb Pedal is a great choice. This is a compact reverb pedal that offers digital technology to deliver great sounds. It is also priced to be suitable for most budgets too, so you don’t need to worry about not being able to afford a great sounding reverb pedal.

Its emulated spring reverb is stunning and you’ll really like the rich and spacious feel that the hall reverb setting can offer. Not only does it sound great, but it’s easy to use and is made to be durable.

A reverb controller knob is integrated into the top of the pedal and this is used like a wet/dry controller. You’ll get more reverb if you turn the knob to the right and you’ll also reduce your dry input at the same time. From the minimum to the quarter way point. The reverb knob offers a subtle yet effective reverb, whilst anything beyond that point will become far more intense.

Thanks to the way that the dial works, performers are able to weak the subtle reverb in those lower ranges. A slide switch allows you to switch between three reverb algorithms. This is the reverb mode switch and whilst it is designed to work best with an electric guitar, there is nothing stopping you from using the control with any other instrument that you wish to plug into the pedal.

Wampler Faux Spring Reverb Guitar Effects Pedal

When you’re looking for the best rated reverb pedals, the Wampler Faux Spring Reverb Guitar Effects Pedal is sure to rank high in your shortlist. This advanced pedal ensures that you get the most basic of sounds without the need for all the excessive other reverb options, which many guitarists will never even bother with. The spring reverb sound is a classic, and this pedal can bring you the warmth and richness of that sound, which you may be missing out on if you’ve purchased a more modern amp that doesn’t offer the same kind of tone as older ones.

A level knob allows you to alter the amount of wet signal that the pedal received. To give a subtler amount of reverb, you should turn the dial to the lower levels, whilst the higher levels will give you a springier feel to the reverb. The pedal should be plugged directly into your amp for the best sound. If you are connecting this pedal to your amp, you should ensure that you control the gain level on your amp so that if the sound starts to cause distortion through your amp, you can counteract this. The more distortion that your amp adds, the more effect you’ll lose from your reverb pedal.

The shade dial allows you to add a lighter or darker sound to your reverb. Turn to the left for darker sounds and to the right for lighter. The depth knob will control the amount of time that the spring reverb extends for.

Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb Pedal

If you want a highly detailed reverb pedal that goes the extra mile to provide you with all the reverb effects that you could possibly need, the Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb Pedal has it all. You will be impressed with the true-stereo sound output and the high quality of the construction of this piece of equipment.

The Electro-Harmonix Cathedral Stereo Reverb Pedal comes with 7 different reverb effects for you to choose from. These include the spring, hall, room, plate, reverse and grail flerb. The grail flerb is basically reverb along with flanging and is one of the most popular effects taken from the Holy Grail pedal. You can also make use of a digital delay mode that results in an echo. The echo allows you to set a maximum delay time of 2 seconds.

There are plenty of controls that come with this pedal too. At just the turn of a dial, you can control the blend, reverb, dampening and feedback. This gives you all the control that you could possibly need when you’re trying to create that perfect sound.

Those who already use this reverb pedal are just as impressed with it as they are with all the other pedals in the Electro-Harmonix range. This is a manufacturer that really delivers when it comes to high quality equipment for musical performances. The tone is superb and there are plenty of connectivity options so that you can connect this pedal up to your existing devices.

Types of Guitar Reverb Pedals

• Hall reverb – Hall reverb refers to the type of reverb that you’d hear in a concert hall. These buildings are actually designed to create an impressive amount of reverb and the reverb can last from around 1.2 to 3 seconds, and sometimes even longer. Hall reverb often consists of inaudible reverb sounds at first as the sound is scattered from all the walls in the concert hall and then the audience hears a full body followed by a long decay. If you can’t book one of those big resonant concert halls for your next gig, you should just choose a reverb pedal that offers the hall reverb effect.
• Chamber reverb – Chamber reverb effects are similar to hall, but the room uses a smaller physical space. This results in a more harmonic sounding reverb. A chamber also sounds different from a hall when it comes to reverb because it is usually rectangular in shape and made from cement or even wood. There is s shorter delay from a chamber reverb of around 0.4 to 1.2 seconds.
• Room reverb – To create the right amount of reverb, one of the best ways of creating reverb naturally is to use reverb caused by the size of the room. If you’ve ever wondered why recording studios have padding on the walls, the answer is because the room is designed to eliminate any reverb. Unfortunately, room reverb doesn’t offer all that much control so it is not a popular way of creating reverb effects.
• Plate reverb – In order to create a plate reverb effect, electrical sound waves are converted into physical vibrations with the help of a transducer. The vibrations reflect around and are then translated back into an electrical wave. Although they sound good, true plate reverbs are so large that you can’t carry them around with you.
• Spring reverb – Spring reverb sound effects is one of the most popular sounding reverb effects, but the actual spring reverb device is quite unusual. A tank is used to house a number of springs, and it is these springs vibrating that cause the reverb. The spring reverb relied on a transducer, similar to the one used in the aforementioned plate reverb, and this chances electrical signals to vibration. The vibrations are passed through the springs. Unlike plate reverbs, these are very lightweight and are sometimes used in guitar amplifiers. They are also cheap to manufacture and sound great.

What to Look for in the Best Guitar Reverb Pedal

• Ease Of Use

  You should ensure that you can actually use the pedal and if you purchase a reverb pedal that is too complex, you may struggle to perform using it. Remember that you’ll be playing your instrument whilst you’re trying to control the pedal, and that requires twice as much concentration! Keep it simple and uncomplicated.

• Capabilities

  Before you buy your reverb pedal, you should make sure that you know what you want. Do you play a wide range of genres, or would you be more likely to only stick to one particular genre? If you want to get really creative with your new reverb pedal, you should make sure that you get one that has as many customizable features as possible so that you can create the best sound.

• Existing Hardware

  When you are purchasing any additional hardware to go with your existing setup, you should ensure that the equipment that you are buying would connect up to everything else properly. You should be able to plug your instrument into the pedal and the pedal should be able to be plugged directly into your amp. If you already have a stomp box or pedal, it would be a good idea to ensure that you will be able to connect your new reverb pedal to that.

• Cost

  Reverb pedals are usually cheaper in comparison to multi-effect pedals and looping pedals, but you should still shop around to make sure that you’re getting good value for money when you buy your reverb pedal. Check that you’re buying from a manufacturer with a good reputation and if you can find one that comes with a warranty, this will give you peace of mind that your purchase will last you for a long time.

• Extra Features

  When you buy your reverb pedal, you should look out for any special features. There are some that come with more control knobs than others so that you can increase or decrease the amount of reverb with ease, but you can also shape the tone of the sound too with some reverb pedals. This is an especially useful feature to have if your amplifier doesn’t have this capability. You should remember to alter the gain setting on your amp when you are using your reverb pedal to ensure that the amp doesn’t distort the reverb too much at louder volumes.

Benefits of Using a Reverb Pedal

When you’re looking for a bigger tone, you should be on the lookout for a good reverb pedal. Amps that offer subtle reverbs or pedals that can create something of a reverb effect along with other affects are all well and good, but if you want to pack a punch with your reverb effects, you need a pedal that is designed for the job.

If you’re wondering what would be the point in purchasing a reverb pedal when there are other pedals out there offering more features, you need to ask yourself what your budget is and just how many of the extra features you would actually use. Even if your budget can stretch to the price range of one of the more advanced pedals, if you’re only going to be using the reverb function, then you really should save the money to put towards something else that you’ll actually use.

Another great benefit of using a reverb pedal is that they are easy to add on to other things in future. If you are just starting out and have a very low budget, a reverb pedal can provide you with some basic effects and as you purchase more hardware, you’ll be able to join the reverb pedal with any other equipment that you may purchase.

Tips on How to Use a Reverb Pedal

• Less Is More! – Remember that when you use a reverb pedal, you should only add a small touch of reverb to create a dry sounding tone. Even for the clearest sounding amplifier, just a small amount of decay can be enough to really enhance your performance. Just using a touch of reverb can mean that your guitar strings will bend that little bit more gracefully and your sustain will sound even richer. Of course, if you are playing solo, you are more likely to use less reverb than if you were playing with a larger band. You may want to really make yourself stand out with more reverb if there are more instruments or if the genre commands it.
• Add Some Depth – In order to get a richer and deeper sound, you should consider making your music sound as though you’re playing at a distance from the microphone and layering sounds on top of one another too. To replicate this kind of sound, no matter where you are, all you need to do is to alter the delay control on the pedal. This will cause the reverb to be delayed by a short amount of time. You should also set the decay level to be quite low. This will give a roomy sound reflection. In addition to this, you can make your music stand out even more if you have a control to make the output sound brighter.
• The Spring Reverb – Before the days of gain and expression pedals, the only way to get a decent sustain from a guitar was to increase the volume of the tube amp and add spring reverb. Spring was all the rage back then and thanks to some of the greatest guitarists in the world who chose to use this effect in many of their performances, the spring reverb has become one of the most popular effects for guitarists. If you can’t afford a Fender amp that seems to naturally provide that luscious spring reverb, you can create the sound that you want with a spring reverb pedal.

Conclusion

If you’ve recently bought a new amplifier without considering the reverb effects that it may not produce in comparison to older models, a reverb pedal is a great solution to add the effect back in that you would have experienced if you had purchased a vintage amp. The great thing about reverb pedals is that you can alter the amount of reverb as you wish so that your music will have the sound that you’re looking for.

We hope that our buying guide has been helpful in providing you with some of the best guitar reverb pedal reviews and that you have found some answers about choosing the best reverb pedal for guitar for your particular needs. With so many different ones for you to choose from, two of the most important things to consider are the price and the durability of your pedal so that you can be sure that it will last you for as long as possible, providing you with great value for money.

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