What is Spring Reverb for?

[Phil O]

Actually, I think it's kind of on topic in a strange way. Just as spring reverb's usefulness has faded, so has this thread. I think as a special effect someone might find springs useful, but other than that...

Phil

[SixStringGeek]

If you're going to play Wipe Out, you need a real spring reverb to make that sound at the beginning. Turn it up all the way and kick your amp, laugh like an idiot and say "wipeout". Turn it down to about half and play the song.

That's what its for.

Also Dick Dale, Ventures, Surfaris, Link Wray, etc covers rely on "that sound".

[James Steele]

I was in a metal band years ago and we actually found a good use for a spring reverb. We had an old Carvin powered PA mixer that had a reverb tank in it. We needed it for a punctuating explosion effect during a guitar solo on a song we were recording in the studio. We routed the line out to a track on the 24 track, rolled tape, and then carefully lifted the front edge of the mixer about 3 inches off the floor. At just the right moment, we dropped the front of the mixer. BAAAAAMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!

I have that cassette somewhere (on cassette)... LOL... I ought to post that section. Funny.

[monkey man]

Ha! Do it, James... please.

[gearboy]

Funny, but I'm about to run vocals out of DP, through my Radial X-Amp, and into my modded '77 Fender Super Reverb, choose a few mics and a few distances, and bring everything back into DP and mix to taste.

Running stuff from DP into various amps for their reverb (or for a little dirt) is a lot of fun if you ask me.

Jeff

[Timeline]

Favorite spring reverbs.

BX20 for vocals in a mix-

Fisher Space expander. The best sounding spring verb ever made for studio guitar and vocal and lightly on drum recordings that emulate live chambers-

Fender reverb lock bar engaged. Great short decay guitar rhythm tone, lock bar disengaged, Surfs up!

[bongo_x]

...
BX20 for vocals in a mix-
...

One of my favorite things. For years the only reverb I ever used was that and a plate.

I don't know the second one, but I'm gonna check that out.

bb

[echohaus]

Sorry, but I think the only thing a spring reverb is good for is making a recorded guitar sound exponentially more difficult to mix well.

[Timeline]

This depends on how much is used. A light shadow echo is very mixable.

[monkey man]

There are free IRs of the BX20 on the net... somewhere, FWIW peeps.

[gearboy]

I just succeded in using my '77 Super Reverbs... um... spring reverb for a vocal in a mix. Mic'd the amp with an SM7b, KM184, and modded Oktava MK-012 closeup, then used a Microtech Gefell UM70 (cardioid) and another modded MK-012 with the RedHead cap 15' or so away from the amp. In my 25' x 17' x 12.5' living room. Hardwood and 83 yr old plaster walls. Rather crazy micing but I wanted to put my newly modded Oktavas up against some of the big boys. The SM7b was there for fun.

Guess what? Blending all 5 mics together, It totally works for the song. I simply created my own tails in DP to hide the amp noise. Still pretty lush.

Good fun tonight in the new house.

Jeff