Fender 6G15: Fender Reverb Reissue VS Catalinbread Topanga VS Boss FRV-1 - Spring Reverb Shootout!
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- Today we are comparing the following:
Fender 6G15 circuit - Fender Reverb Reissue (Stock)
Catalinbread Topanga
Boss FRV-1
Both of these pedals claim to model the Fender 63 Reverb unit. Today we see how they stack up against the stock Fender Reverb Reissue. This is with the stock 6V6 tube. I will have another 6G15 unit coming that has the 6K6 tube. I will do another shoot out at that time.
Not only does the Topanga do a much better job at keeping the dry signal intact, but the "volume" control is actually an incredibly useful feature -- not only does it drive the virtual springs with believable tube essence, but past a certain point it adds its own subtle overdrive. Plus, you can use it to keep or boost your level to your amp's sweet spot. Not to mention it sounds fantastic!! Nothing beats real spring verb, but the Topanga is one of my favorite pedals period.
These are both nice reverb pedals but this video illustrates clearly that there is simply no pedal substitute for Fender's tank reverb! The FRV-1 gets the drippy part pretty well but what it lacks is the clarity of the initial attack. It's like the whole note is swallowed up in the reverb, whereas the tank lets the original note ring quite clearly on top of the splash.
Yes, that's as clear as clear can be. Unfortunately the real-deal Fender tube units and some of the better clones are not cheap, no not at all. I have a Kendrick Standalone copy and it's pretty damn good. Don't use it often but it sure gets that surf tone and then some. I've seen early 60's Fender Reverb units going for upwards of $3500. Just nutz... 🙄 😲
They're both great pedals if you're using them as a minimal or touch of Reverb. The frv is great for Blues and the Topanga is great for just about anything with option to increase gain. It hits the front end of the amp nicely.
I keep seeing comments online of how great that topanga pedal is for surf, but it doesn't drip. It's cool for a reverb pedal but it's not a good spring reverb if you're wanting authentic drip. I did see someone on RUclips stack it with the frv and it sounded pretty efing awesome with the two combined. Personally I like the frv better than the topanga. Stack em!
The Topanga is one of those pedals you buy and never get rid of
One of the best shootout videos I've seen for these three pedals. Well done!
The Boss is a very emulation for the Fender Reverb Tank! Though the Fender still wins by a long way, but the Boss really does a good job at emulation.
Oh finally someone who's testing the reverb pedals in a useful way :D
Last time I saw someone test a fender reverb pedal for metal :P That was a little silly.
Anyway, I would think the Frv is my go-to one, it sounds mostly like the fender normal thing. But I would like to try a topanga one sometime
boss pedal sounds better to me...perfect for my rockabilly..... the topanga is to bassy.
Catalinbread was more subtle, but also did the best job at retaining balanced tone.
That Boss pedal sounds like it's got springs inside! Winner!
Absolutely.If Fender has put its name on that pedal it means that it sounds like the original tank reverb.Im getting myself one.That spring tone I need to have ,it's like having the original tank but more reliable
right, because Fender have never put their name on a bad product.
except their own...
The Boss pedal bitch slapped the Topanga and told it to make it a sandwich
I use my pedal at gigs. It is way easier to transport than the tank. And yes, I have a tank as well. For a pedal it sounds pretty darn close to the tank. Close enough that your average listener (or for that matter average surf player) will not notice a difference. I guess if you have a really small audience of purely niche surf players who are hyper focused then they will hear the difference, but nobody else will.
Not surprisingly, the Fender sounded the best. I say not surprisingly, because the other units were not designed to be the best reverb they could be, but to imitate a totally different technology. There are lots of very good echo/reverb pedals that don't sound like the Fender, but almost certainly create reverb that sounds more authentically like concert-hall reverb. As usual, you you makes your choice and pays your money.
I used to have the tank with the correct valves in. It was very nice. Had to sell it for financial reasons. Bought the Boss.
I'm shocked at how much body is lost when the Topanga is set to full mix!
at first he didn't operate the controls enough on the topanga, but later he did to get some more surf out of it. all of us topanga owners are just bitter that it doesn't drip enough.
tightpythonboot the Topanga had amazing tone, better clarity, and was gorgeous, but it didn't drip enough, and I found the trails to be digital sounding. I chose the Boss after owning both, but the Topanga is still an awesome pedal.
If you use other effects, for example fuzz, the drip gets in the way, creating an awful sound. For me the Topganga is the perfect blend when I want surf tones, but only want to use it with my normal rig.
I actually use both pedals in my setup. The Boss is WAY too intense for any sort of rhythm work and pretty one-dimensional, so it's my lead go-to. The Topanga is excellent for verby rhythm and less over-the-top surf leads. Neither are as good as my dual channel reverb Tone King Meteor II amp, but between the two, they get close. I've heard nothing but horror stories about the tanks - lot's of QC issues - which is a bummer.
The Topanga doesn't sound anything close to the fender FRV-1 pedal or the fender reverb tank.
The Boss FRV-1 sounds more like the real sounding 663 than the reissued 63 amp lol
I have a Peavey Valverb, and it sounds IMHO better than all three - less drippy and fuller sounding, possibly down to the tone controls.
Sadly it has not been available for many years now.
The tube unit wins of course but the FRV-1 is MUCH closer to the real thing than the Topenga.
People who prefer the Topenga to the Boss clearly don't like (have ever truly experienced) an original surfy tube spring reverb sound and shouldn't bother to look for one.
Funny enough: Normally I like Catalinbread products and don't like Boss pedals that much but if it comes to sound I judge with my ears. Should be obvious, I know but...
If you wanna surf, get the Boss or even better the real tube driven thing.
I'd like to hear how good spring emulation do the pedals that Digitech has released in this decade, compared to these pedals.
Lol, you're a fucking moron. The "60 Cycle Hum" guy is a gigging musician in a surf band who's forgotten more about gear than you'll ever know, and he prefers the Topanga.
God damn the Fender unit sounds so fucking good
Boss Fender Series Legends !
Fender can’t be beat.
did you even bother to touch the Topanga controls? Having owned the Catlinbread and and FRV-1 I can say the Topanga is the best 6g15 pedal available. the Boss is overly exaggerated and just plain doesn't sound very pleasing when you're really going for it. they're is a harshness and COSM artifacts that are a real bummer. so far the Topanga gives me what I want in a 9v, board friendly option.
I'm glad you are happy with the Topanga :) It's sticking around in my collection even if I don't feel it is perfect.
Regarding your comment. The Topanga controls were adjusted just like the spring tank and the FRV-1 controls were. I'm not real sure where that idea is coming from... The Topanga is not a perfect emulation and neither is the FRV-1. Topanga lacks drip. Boss is a bit to harsh tone wise. Both pedals can sound absolutely crappy depending on settings. BUT the 6G15 can also sound crappy given the right circumstances as well. What you find pleasing is subjective, both model different characteristics people expect if they've actually owned and played the real thing. Neither of them does it all.
Tri Pedal Reviews yes, I've owned then all and am quite aware of their plus and minus. Topanga is still the best emulation of the complexity of a real spring, especially in a surf context. whilst the frv1 is splashing all over the place, the Topanga is set to a very neutral setting... that's why I ask. there is a difference between setting 3 pedals to the same values and setting them to achieve the same sonics.
Christian Forbes The Topanga controls were adjusted everytime. Look at them. They mirrored the other equipment settings.
Totally agree. I only use my FRV-1 for the truly obnoxious, make-noise leads. The Catlinbread is actually usable over a wider range. We're not a pure surf band, so I need some variation.
For surf, the FRV wins every time.
Only one of those 3 will pass the "kick" test. You can't surf without a few waves crashing down.
And though The Topanga really does an incredible job with the preamp gain driving into the amp, nothing out there can touch the original Fender reverb box's driven sound.
Word! I'm all about the shatter and crash!!
That 6G15 tank is drippy as all hell, but it sounds genuine. The Boss sounds alright; it gets the drip, but it's exaggerated, and kind of ends up overpowering/dulling the actual note imo. For my money, the Topanga is the cock-for-dolly. It can certainly put out drip, but it also knows when to hold back, and not drip all over the place.
cock-for-dolly. I'm gonna have to remember that one. lol
Fender 6G15 3:30
Boss 3:56
Boss FRV-1 is very overrated - had it and sold it after a few weeks - sounds good on demos but did not like it in person - Got a Subdecay Super spring reverb which is much better IMO.
. . . UPDATE: sold the Subdecay and bought the Topanga - it's excellent!
The boss goes for more than the Topanga does brand new now
If you haven't I'd suggest running the Topanga at 18v.
I'll be showing the difference between 9V and 18V in a demo in the future :) For those that do not know that is a great tip though!
cant wait!
Great demo
Topanga or FRV1? Not just for surf but a general reverb, i can't decide which to get.
People?
@Tri Pedal ?
I'd go Topanga myself.
@@TriPedalReviews thanks for the reply and great videos
@@alexdawson7851 You are welcome, thank you sir!
Is that a sampled "drip" coming from the Boss?
I have the boss pedal, and it does have some harshness but you can’t truly beat a tube reverb tank. But I can afford the boss.
This is how to do product shootouts. Some guys talk too much.
Did you turn on 15 minutes before to test the 6g15 amp?
Yes
Boss all day long
Topanga beats frv1 into my amp. Frv gives off loads of harsh random trebly
spikes.
That boss is the cheapest solution although it sounds a bit cold
The audio compression via RUclips makes it very difficult to objectively judge these units. Should we question the recording process, the DA converter etc etc. RUclips shootouts are not useful in making purchasing decisions.
I'll respectfully disagree. For instance..with this shootout, there are fundamental differences in sound that have absolutely zero to do with compression. The drip characteristics are very different between all 3. No amount of changing guitars, cables, picks, strings, amps, compression, DA/AD conversion etc... is going to change the way these pedals drip. They are what they are. They behave how they behave. Some people are able to hear that distinctly, others can not. If you can't hear the difference, then consider yourself lucky.
Is RUclips the ideal medium for purchasing decisions? Absolutely not. Ideally everyone has the pedals lying around and can try them themselves in their own rigs. But for those that don't have the option to try all 3, its the best you've got. There are A TON of factors that affect the sound starting from my hand picking a string to the sound being delivered through whatever system you've got into your ears. How many people out there actually listen to these through studio monitors VS crappy headphones, laptop speakers, or smart phone speakers?
If comparisons of pedals side by side with similar settings are useless, then my question is, what is the alternative that you believe is better? I don't believe they should be the sole thing that causes someone to buy a pedal, but it can be a useful bit of information along the way to a decision.
BOSSの再現凄いね。
The reverb unit kills the pedals. Throw them away.
Big of an unfair comparison considering you never change the settings on the topanga yet on the tank and boss pedal you mess with the mix and tone options a bit. Not great imo.
Really?
00:00 - First Setting.
01:02 - Second Settings (note the knobs on topanga move)
02:48 - Third Setting (note the knobs on topanga move)
03:30 - Fourth Setting (note the knobs on the topanga move)
04:09 - Fifth Setting (note the knobs on the topanga move)
04:41 - Sixth Setting (note the knobs on the topanga move)
05:10 - Seventh Setting (note the knobs on the topanga move)
05:58 - Eigth Setting (note the knobs on the topanga move)
06:57 - Ninth Setting (note the knobs on the topanga move)
If I owned a Topanga or Boss FRV-1, I'd be happy to re-do a comparison, but both are gone. There are far better 6G15 emulations out now days.
@@TriPedalReviews what are your thoughts on some of the newer pedals available out there? I've got a Surfybear Compact and think it's pretty good.
@@brunopietoso1498 SurfyBear compact is good. It's a bit less cavernous sounding than the full fledged 6G15, and a bit darker, but pretty close overall.
I run the SurfyBear Metal. It's my favorite iteration of the SurfyBear, but it is large.
For digital emulations Source Audio Ventris or True Spring with the 6G15 engines loaded. The EHX has the Oceans series of reverbs. They are good in regards to drip, a titch of artifial..ness on the tails, but whether you notice such things is probably up to how picky you are. UA Golden is a great spring emulation, has drip, to me it sounds like its stuck between amp spring and a 6G15. The new Poly Verbs has a convolution reverb of a 6G15. While the verb is good, I don't recommend it yet as there are a lot of bugs that still need to be worked out of it. If I think of others I'll edit the comment.
The 2 i use when going pedal format. One board I've got the SurfyBear Metal. I use that board primarily for surf and spagetti western. The other board I've got has the Ventris. I'm happy with both of them.
@@TriPedalReviews nice, thanks for your reply..really helpful and insightful stuff. I am tempted by the Surfybear metal because the compact is good for the two different channels but you're bang on the darker feel to it. I've also been looking into the UA True Spring so might give that a go as well. Thanks again and apologies for my previous comment on the settings, think I must have missed the adjustments but glad it sparked up a cool reverb convo :)
@@brunopietoso1498No worries, I think the angle and smaller knobs on the Topanga make them look less than the other two.
boss costs half the Topanga costs.Boss for me.
it's $195 for a brand new topanga in reverb, but a used FRV-1 is now $200.....
chineezshit costs half the boss costs. chineezshit for me.
gigachineezshit costs half the superchineezshit costs. gigachineezshit for me.
BOSS!!!
Topanga is disappointing
I'm going to disagree with you. It's clearly the most warmest and natural sounding to my ears. Like all pedals you need to find the right settings that work for you.
I agree