How important is tube generated reverb and tremolo to you?

[RCinMempho]

I like tremolo that lets high signal levels, like pick attack, through uneffected, with the tremolo getting a grip after the attack. I don't think a deluxe does this. Pedals don't. I don't care how it gets it done, but this is everything. Without this dynamic response, tremolo is just an annoying static effect.

I recall a long discussion on this a year or so ago. I kind of hate you for it because now I hear the difference.

Do you have a list of bottlenecker-approved tremolos?

 

[Peegoo]

Gatton once said, "If you need reverb, turn up your amp."

 

[Edgar Allan Presley]

This is your periodic reminder that spring reverb isn't "pure" or real: it's an electro-mechanical simulation of reverberation in a space. If you want real reverb that isn't simulated or synthesized, set up in a canyon or cathedral or water tank. Or just stop worrying and play what sounds good to you, synthesized or not.

 

[robt57]

2 cents, just having got a tremlord 30 recently. Already having a hand made botiquey trem pedal (gift from my eldest).

Where is seems to really matter for me is low gain clean etherial playing when the warmth and life come thru. Maybe the less harmonics flavor of the pedals VS tube. Loud, not so much.

I've had a Fender verb pedal, the coveted Boss FRV 63 for probably 15 years. But I am a touch of verb guy, not deep diver. Even with pinnacle Fender tube driven/amp circuits. But FRV-1 will never be traded out. I have had one pedal i can say i still try to replace I let go. There are 5ish i will die with since that one. Trying to be good at the time and clean up..

 

[Killing Floor]

I voted pedal but I love Surfy so that’s not really a pedal. For trem a pedal is fine.

 

[schmee]

I've found that a Trem pedal stays more distinct in a band mix.... or I should say the right one can.
My cheap Donner multi modulation pedal's Trem stays good in the band mix compared with Fender SF/BF Tremelo, and I dont have to deal with the ungainly Fender floor switch with the stiff cable.

I prefer slight echo to reverb usually

 

[mandoloony]

I actually prefer digital onboard reverb for the simple reason that the tank doesn't rattle endlessly in the car on the way to the gig.

 

[Wooly Fox]

I don't own an amp with built in tube reverb, only my Quilter has digital reverb and I generally use pedals for my reverb if I need it. I mostly play dry or use slight chorus or phaser for clean tone movement.

Recently bought a Source Audio True Spring to try out some FX loop reverb and tremolo to see if I like it.

My ThorpyFX Pulse Doppler does all the tremolo I need (even though it's a phaser) and I have my EQD Avalanche Run V2 for the ambient reverb and delay when I want it. The True Spring is to see if I am missing out in my tone arsenal.

 

[bottlenecker]

I recall a long discussion on this a year or so ago. I kind of hate you for it because now I hear the difference.

Do you have a list of bottlenecker-approved tremolos?

I'm working on that, but not really. Any amp with tube bias tremolo should be able to do the thing, but if it has too much headroom maybe it won't with a given pickup. Some may need adjustment/mod/service to get what I want. There are lots of amps that should do it that I haven't tried, and I need to try an individual amp to make sure it will do the thing the way I want.
I can tell you that princetons with temolo and vibro champs are the fenders that will do the thing. I think all the old tube gibsons with tremolo do it, but they don't all sound good in general. Lots of chicago amps do it, but you just have to try them. I think most old supros and danelectros have the right kind, but don't take my word for it. Two current amps I'm considering that I haven't tried yet are the tone king imperial, and supro's new "amulet". Both have tube tremolos and seem to be doing it in demos.

 

[MisterZ]

There wasn't a choice of "not important at all". I don't use reverb, and while I do have a Boss tremolo pedal I only got it for one specific gig and I probably won't use it again. (Unless I start that surf band I've been threatening...)

 

[RCinMempho]

I'm working on that, but not really. Any amp with tube bias tremolo should be able to do the thing, but if it has too much headroom maybe it won't with a given pickup. Some may need adjustment/mod/service to get what I want. There are lots of amps that should do it that I haven't tried, and I need to try an individual amp to make sure it will do the thing the way I want.
I can tell you that princetons with temolo and vibro champs are the fenders that will do the thing. I think all the old tube gibsons with tremolo do it, but they don't all sound good in general. Lots of chicago amps do it, but you just have to try them. I think most old supros and danelectros have the right kind, but don't take my word for it. Two current amps I'm considering that I haven't tried yet are the tone kind imperial, and supro's new "amulet". Both have tube tremolos and seem to be doing it in demos.

I had a Gibson Duo Medalist as my first ever amp. I had the tremolo on a little bit a lot of the time. That with a phase shifter was some really lush soundscapes. I think I thought all tremolos naturally worked that way. Then I started listening to what I have now, a Dano Tuna Melt.

 

[blue metalflake]

I’m a sucker for the springline tank, even though it does involve soldering broken connections occasionally.
I’ve recorded via pedal & dry, with reverb added later, but I prefer the on board, valve driven original.

 

[maxvintage]

Not important. If I try out a new amp I always turn the reverb off. I don't like much reverb much and I want to hear how the amp sounds, not hear it "sweetened" by reverb. If I want reverb it's usually not going to be a spring.

Trem I like in principle but in practice never use

 

[Telecastoff1]

So long as it sounds good, it really doesn't matter to me where the source is.

 

[Brent Hutto]

There's this thing with "Telecaster playing" where the first music that come to mind when people hear that phrase is typically not music I'm into. Twangy country stuff, etc.

When it comes to spring tremolo and whatever is that kind of tremolo that comes in a Deluxe Reverb, I kind of figure it must be the same thing. Those sounds must work well in kinds of music I'm not into.

But if I plug into a real tube DRRI (or Tonemaster version) and take a listen to the reverb and trem, I can't turn them off fast enough. Just intrusive and crude sounding. I get that it's a retro mojo thing that's probably wizard if you are into retro mojo music of certain genres. But not my thing.

 

[Ben Harmless]

This is your periodic reminder that spring reverb isn't "pure" or real: it's an electro-mechanical simulation of reverberation in a space. If you want real reverb that isn't simulated or synthesized, set up in a canyon or cathedral or water tank. Or just stop worrying and play what sounds good to you, synthesized or not.

At first I read this and I thought "right, okay, but it's a real part of music," but then I got your vibe here, and it's the exact reason why I tend to lean non-spring when I'm using reverb. Springs were a neat invention, but just one way of approximating a natural phenomenon. I've found that I like often like a plate or hall a lot more - and for things that people will swear to you require a "real genuine spring reverb because nothing else will do..." As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that requires spring is surf, and even then, I kind of like weirdo-surf that could easily get by with other things.

But if I plug into a real tube DRRI (or Tonemaster version) and take a listen to the reverb and trem, I can't turn them off fast enough.

While they're kind of the flagship Fenders right now, if I'm not mistaken, those tremolos are usually considered good enough but not the ones most often lusted after by people who really want to feature tremolo heavily in their music. I don't think you're weird for this at all.

I should also say, for the record, that part of my appreciation for external tremolo pedals is how they work when placed in front of a dirty amp. I dial them in so that I'm right on the edge of hearing genuine volume modulation, but it's mostly just a dirty throb. Tube amps can do this to varying degrees, but the wave shape knob on my TR-2 is perfect for dialing it in just right, and that's the reason I've never sought out a fancier pedal. Of course, I also like to run mine in front of reverb that also goes into a (semi) dirty amp, so I'm weird.

 

[Jakedog]

My two favorite amps don’t have reverb or trem. So I just stick an HOF mini in the fx loop. Plenty fine for me.

 

[trandy9850]

Zero….I have excellent pedals for both…and more.

 

[bobio]

Not at all important, most of my favorite pedals are digital. Having toobs doesn’t guarantee anything. Just like anything else, you really need to get playing time with the pedal and see how it sounds to “you”.

 

[red57strat]

I have a purist side that loves keeping it all tube- tube reverb, tube overdrive pedals..., but the realist in me knows that the audience and the song don't care how I get the sound, just that it suits the song, so I often use pedals.