I have no idea what makes that cool echo-ey surf sound, but I love it and want to play it! What pedal makes that sound? Or is it just the reverb on a Fender amp, or what?
I can post sound clips if necessary, but in the meantime if you've ever heard Satan's Pilgrims that is it EXACTLY.
Agent Orange uses the same thing and adds distortion, I think.
Bettie Page is the most beautiful woman who ever lived. You better recognize, G!
Spring Reverb basically gives you the surf sound. I think the tremolo effect is used in surf music a lot, but the Spring Reverb is the money effect when it comes to surf music. Fender is mostly associated with the surf sound because Dick Dale first used the Fender Reverb Unit when it came out and basically made the blueprint for surf music, and afterwards any California band worth its salt went out and got a Fender Reverb and copied Dick Dale's sound....but don't take my word for it, I might be wrong, but I'm pretty sure I read that in a book about 60's music.
The ideal reverb for surf is the Fender spring reverb box, but it's pretty expensive. Internal spring reverb can be a good substitute on some amps, but it isn't quite the same because it is after the pre-amp, not before, and the springs are often shorter. Many internal spring reverbs are more appropriate for a blues sound than surf.
For about $100 you can get a decent pedal that mimics the Fender box. Two favorites are the Digitech Digiverb and the Electro Harmonix Holy Grail (which can be a little noisy), both give a nice surf sounding reverb effect. The pedals never give you the weird crashing and splashing sounds you get from real springs, though.
If you wait a bit, Behringer is coming out with a $20 (US) digital reverb pedal that might be a cheap way to get into reverb.
I believe Danelectro has a reverb pedal in the $100US range as well. If it's the one I'm thinking of, it has a place on it where you can kick it and get some sort of crash and splash action.
Our songs also have the standard pop format: Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, solo, bad solo. All in all, I think we sound like The Knack and the Bay City Rollers being molested by Black Flag and Black Sabbath.
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Thanks for the feedback! I have been doing some reading, and I guess spring reverb gives you "wet echo" which is the coolest sound ever, IMO.
I may have to break down and get a Strat, too. :D
I am going to try that out in the store today, but I feel weird messing with stuff that isn't mine too much. I could be there for days. If I'm not back by dinner, send a patrol in after me... :lol:
Bettie Page is the most beautiful woman who ever lived. You better recognize, G!
Interesting sidenote:
"Contrary to some accounts," Dick Dale clarified, "the Fender Reverb had nothing to do with the Dick Dale surf sound. My first album, Surfer's Choice, was the first surf album in music history. The Fender Reverb had not been invented at the time the record was made. The reverb was actually created to enhance my singing voice and its use with the guitar was secondary. By the time the Fender Reverb and guitar were combined, Surfer's Choice had already sold over 80,000 copies."
Ok, the censor censored his firstname out. That's absurd. I'm talking about D. Dale as you'll all know.
Ok, the Fender I played at the store, a Hot Rod Deluxe--I think--makes that sound. It's awesome.
Now I need to find that sound in an amp that isn't $600.
Looks like I'm getting a third job. :lol:
Bettie Page is the most beautiful woman who ever lived. You better recognize, G!
