Do I want a reverb or delay...

... and what's the difference betwixt the two (relative pedal newbie here).

My main amp is quickly becoming my Epi Valve Jr. So far, my only stomp box is the Bad Monkey OD, but I feel like I need a little something else. That something is either a Reverb or a Delay, but I don't know enough about the two to really know which is best for me. Currently, I just play for myself -- no gigging yet.

I play mostly blues, blues/rock and would like to play some Bakersfield/Honky Tonk/Classic Country (Johnny Cash, Ray Price, Chet Atkins, etc.). I also really dig a good rockabilly sound, but am not adept at that style.

Diverse examples of specific guitar sounds I'm after with this pedal: Folsom Prison Blues, Stray Cat Strut, the main riff from Rush's Working Man, Joey Santiago's lead sound from the Pixies, Twin Peaks soundtrack-type stuff, the Derailers or Dwight Yoakam.

I'm not into long delay, reverse delay, or Edge/U2-type delay.

I "think" what I'm after is a reverb pedal like the Reflector, but can I get similar sounds out of a Delay using a short-time setting (200ms or so)?

I guess what I really need is a brief explanation of the difference between these two effects --- maybe they're miles apart and I just don't know it, but my gut feeling is that they can both produce similar sounds.

Which does it sound like I'm after (or should I just break down and spring for both!?!?!)

Based on your description of what you play it sounds to me like you need a delay first. Rockabilly/Honky Tonk use slap back type delays. Plus when you need that subtle "reverb" you can tone everything down.

... and what's the difference betwixt the two (relative pedal newbie here).

My main amp is quickly becoming my Epi Valve Jr. So far, my only stomp box is the Bad Monkey OD, but I feel like I need a little something else. That something is either a Reverb or a Delay, but I don't know enough about the two to really know which is best for me. Currently, I just play for myself -- no gigging yet.

I play mostly blues, blues/rock and would like to play some Bakersfield/Honky Tonk/Classic Country (Johnny Cash, Ray Price, Chet Atkins, etc.). I also really dig a good rockabilly sound, but am not adept at that style.

Diverse examples of specific guitar sounds I'm after with this pedal: Folsom Prison Blues, Stray Cat Strut, the main riff from Rush's Working Man, Joey Santiago's lead sound from the Pixies, Twin Peaks soundtrack-type stuff, the Derailers or Dwight Yoakam.

I'm not into long delay, reverse delay, or Edge/U2-type delay.

I "think" what I'm after is a reverb pedal like the Reflector, but can I get similar sounds out of a Delay using a short-time setting (200ms or so)?

I guess what I really need is a brief explanation of the difference between these two effects --- maybe they're miles apart and I just don't know it, but my gut feeling is that they can both produce similar sounds.

Which does it sound like I'm after (or should I just break down and spring for both!?!?!)

Go into a large room, like a men's room of a resturant and whistle. That is reverb.

Delay or Echo is when a sound repeats over and over again. Granted that if you increas how fast the repeats happen you can get a reverb like effect.

In the guitar and recording world, before the advent of bucket brigade circuits delay was mostly achieved via a tape machine. Later, for guitar efects, came other mechanical means of producing echo like a metal drum filled with oil.

Reverb was created by the use of a dedicated room or "chamber" with speakers at one end and a microphone at the other. When the signal was sent from a recording console, the signal would play through the speakers in the chamber and be picked up by the mics which would have there own return on the console. This would be I guess a physical way of created reverb. Later things like EMT plates came into being which was basicall a metal plate kept under tension and attched by transducers. The same thing applies to spring reverbs.

That is the "off the top of me 'ead" description.

Why not both?

Reverb and delay are like cream and sugar.

Two more questions based off of the responses so far:

1. Is "slap back" something I can get out of any delay pedal, or do I need to shop specifically for that aspect when i look at different pedals?

2. Are delay and echo essentially the same thing?

1) Yes- all delays (that I've ever seen) have a variable time setting from min to max. Ones that are capable of longer delays can do short too.

2) Generally, yes in common usage.

Personally if I were in your position I would go for a decent reverb pedal. A little 'bit of delay won’t make a substantial difference to your sound but a little bit of ‘verb sure does go a long way. Adding a reverb pedal to your arsenal is like filling your easel with a brand new set of colours and will allow you to get somewhere in the tonal ball park of a lot of classic 60’s country and blues recordings. It is an especially useful effect for breathing life into your home PC recordings (if you are interested in that sort of thing), which without it, can often end up sounding sterile.

Best advice I can give is hop on youtube and hear the differences for yourself. Eventually you'll probably want both anyways. :wink:

Good luck!

Chris.

IMHO,a reverb should be the first thing to add.I don't use a lot of reverb,except for a few certain things,but I always use a touch.
As stated above,delay is used in many of the genre that you mentioned.
Here are a two ideas that might get you started..
Hope this helps.....PJ.....

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Boss-FDR1-Fender-Deluxe-Reverb-Pedal?sku=150219
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Boss-DD3-Digital-Delay-Pedal?sku=151310

I think Delay is more versatile. My amp has reverb though so I don't really need it(verb pedal). Delay can do reverb but reverb can't do delay.

Delay first - delay can fill in as a replacement for reverb (actually, the first reverb FX units were nothing but delays...) but reverb can't provide delay; and quite often, a delay will provide a much better "spaciousness"-type effect than a reverb for guitar - reverb can make the sound muddy, esp. when you also use overdrive.

Also, most of the examples of bands/music you mentioned absolutely require a slapback echo-type delay (except maybe for the Twin Peaks soundtrack stuff). And while all delay units will be able to provide slapback, analog ones (or digital ones that try to emulate analog ones) will sound more like the music you mention, than digital delays (on analog delays, the repeats/echos are usually darker, while on digital ones they stay as bright as the original signal).

Personally, I only use reverb for guitar when I deliberately want to create a surf-music type extra-wet Fender spring-reverb sound (I use an Electro Harmonix Holy Grail for that) - natural ambiance type reverb is much better sounding when added with a studio-quality unit at the mixing desk, rather than coming from a pedal.

I prefer delay to 'verb. I find that delay can give the same depth and ambience as 'verb, without sound so hollow. The versatility the Roman refers to is an added bonus.

I prefer delay to 'verb. I find that delay can give the same depth and ambience as 'verb, without sounding so hollow. The versatility the Roman refers to is an added bonus.

Hey guys .
While we're on the subject of reverb , what little magic box are you guys using to get that lush cavernous type reverb ?

Would something like that reverb tank Fender had give that , or is there a little pedal which is good for that stuff ?

And Jimmy ....

What did you use for the stuff you did with Chris ?
Recorded I can get there with a pod , but live use is more tricky .

Currently, I just play for myself -- no gigging yet.

I'm with Wicked, get both. I just play at home too, and I totally entertain myself with a few cheap pedals. The Danelectro pedals are surprisingly fun and cheap. The little plastic BLT slap echo (http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Danelectro-DJ3-BLT-Slap-Echo-Pedal?sku=151862) is great with the VJr, and I got two of their bigger Wasabi pedals on sale- blue chorus/trem (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Danelectro-Wasabi-ChorusTrem-Pedal?sku=151911), and the black distortion that I never use.

The FAB series (http://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=danelectro+fab&st=) has had good reviews and are only $15 each. Get a hands on lesson with the cheapies, and upgrade when you know what you like!:grin:

+1 on delay first. I find it to be an infinitely more versatile effect, which can range from very subtle atmosphere settings to crazy UFO sounds. I personally use an Ibanez AD-9 reissue for what to my ears is a really nice old-school rockabilly slapback tone - which sounds like (give or take a few ms) pretty much the type of thing you're looking for.

Start with between 140-200ms delay time. They say single repeat, but I like it just a little fuller with only a hint of the second repeat, and try the delay level at about 1/3 to 1/2. Adjust to taste.

...And be careful. It's addictive. I'm not really an FX guy, but I do love delay.

Tell ya Guys,I have the Fender Tank AND the Echoplex.My favorite sound is the echo in-to the reverb in-to my amp.Something just happens with this setup that really cooks.Great surfin sound.I also have the Boss DD 6,but I prefer the tape Echo Plex..JMHO...PJ...

I have all kinds of pedals but when I gig, the only pedals I use are overdrive and delay (I also have a tuner pedal, but that's not an effect). I'd also use reverb if it were built into my amp. I haven't heard a reverb pedal that I liked very well.

I'd get a delay first. Stray Cat Strut is delay. Brian Setzer probably used a Fender Bassman, which has no reverb, and a Roland Space Echo (delay).

IMO, the best reverbs are either outboard tube driven reverbs or something that is built into the amp ... like what's in a Fender Twin.

I agree with the above statements that you probably will want both, and I'd check out the cheap pedals first. The other basic pedal you may want is Tremolo. Good luck!:smile:

Or... how about an Alesis NanoVerb (http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NanoVerb)? About $100, and does chorus, delay, rotory, and various reverbs.

Another one I have is an older Alesis MidiVerb2. It's a rack mount box with more options than I could ever use. I've seen the older models like this one on eBay for under $25. Of course it always depends on who's looking for one, but I've seen a few sell for $10, and some for $100. But for a huge adventure in effects experimentation, I recommend any MidiVerb or MicroVerb gadget.

It's hard to see here, but that black box above the Strat neck is actually three old units. A BBE pre-amp on top, then the MidiVerb, then a Kenwood home stereo receiver.

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/523/50strat3009.jpg
Pete the greyhound says Surf-o-rama!