Re: [Harp-L] Inexpensive Reverb

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim McBride <jpmcbride@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>Any suggestions on an 
> inexpensive reverb pedal that won't suck the tone out of a harp 
> mic/amp?

As G notes, the Digitech Digiverb is a very good pedal.  Right now, one or two of the online dealers (Musicians Friend, American Musical Supply, etc.) are blowing out Yamaha Magicstomp pedals for about $80 (S&H not included). The reverbs in this pedal are competitive with Lexicon's MPX110, meaning that they sound a lot more like $500 than $80, and the unit's internal noise level is low enough to make it perfectly usable for recording as well as stage work.  The Magicstomp also includes a lot of other useful effects, including tempo-synced delays (and multitap delays!), great chorus and flange, etc.  I've owned one for well over a year, and it works great.  In short, at $80, it's a very good deal.

The Alessis Nanoverb sells new for about $100, and the Alessis Picoverb for about $80, and both of them produce perfectly usable reverbs, though the other effects don't come up to the level of the Magicstomp's.  But if you find one of those used at a good price, take it.

Finally, the old Yamaha R100 (NOT the R1000) is a very usable reverb for both stage and studio.  You can probably find one used for $40-50.  These units are now around 15 years old, so I would only buy from a dealer with at least a 30-day money-back guarantee.

I own a Danelectro Corned Beef reverb, which I got with two other Danelectro pedals in a blowout deal for $15.  It makes exactly one sound, and in my opinion that sound is better suited to surf guitar than to any kind of harmonica, and mostly suited to nothing in particular.  If it wasn't for the other two pedals in the deal, I would have asked for my money back. 

Thanks, RH