Quick delay and reverb stomp review

[JeffB]

Recently decided the Fender 60w Super-Sonic was the head Im using for a band Im getting together so I can play electric guitar more regularly again.

It seems to be an amp that doesnt get great reviews but it seems to work well for what I want.

It has no reverb which is actually a blessing in some ways.

I bought home a TC Electronic Hall of Fame and Flashback.

The Hall of Fame (HOF) works well and will replace the TREX Room Mate (RM) which I have been using. That kind of surprised me as I thought the RM was pretty decent sounding....and it is...

The HOF might be a bit more pristine/cleaner sounding than the RM and it is quiter whether in the loop or in the front of the amp. The HOF seems easier to make sound right, ie:level/mix/decay etc than the RM.

I normally have reverb set low and barely noticeable. The HOF with a few tweaks made me appreciate how cool different reverbs and levels of reverb can be. Seems like with the HOF I can have long trails of reverb without washing out the initial sound.

I dont think I will become a reverb junky but this little stomp seems pretty cool for the $$$ and very usable.

 

The TC Flashback is a great little delay. Im getting another one. They will replace the H&K Replex. I dont use a lot of delay and have pretty specific but simple needs and wants from a delay unit. I want 1 repeat with a nice taper at about 250-300ms and then sometimes something similar at about 500-700ms as well. Thats all. No tap.

Up until now the Replex has been the only delay I really liked and the first delay unit that made me want to leave it on all the time. The Flashback gives me a similar feeling though it does lack some of the smoothness/warmth/could actually be fuzziness that the replex had.

The Loop function is a hoot and very easy to use. Its a distraction and I will never use it except as a distraction when Im bored.

 

Both the TC pedals work well either in front of the amp or in the loop. There is no distortion when in the loop like some other delays etc Ive tried to use there.

 

Glad I tried them as Ive now nearly finished the amp, cab, guitar, and effects combination's to a stage where Im sitting back after strumming a G chord and being well pleased with the sound. Thats kind of a big deal for me.

[H]

So, do we get a review with some YouTube next? I look forward to the clips you put up every so often.

[tulk1]

A friend uses the Flashback. Keeps touting it's virtues. May have to pick one up. Got to be better than the toy I'm currently using.

 

And yeah, clips would be great! Helps inflame the GAS, you know.

[DetroitBlues]

Recently decided the Fender 60w Super-Sonic was the head Im using for a band Im getting together so I can play electric guitar more regularly again.

It seems to be an amp that doesnt get great reviews but it seems to work well for what I want.

It has no reverb which is actually a blessing in some ways.

I bought home a TC Electronic Hall of Fame and Flashback.

The Hall of Fame (HOF) works well and will replace the TREX Room Mate (RM) which I have been using. That kind of surprised me as I thought the RM was pretty decent sounding....and it is...

The HOF might be a bit more pristine/cleaner sounding than the RM and it is quiter whether in the loop or in the front of the amp. The HOF seems easier to make sound right, ie:level/mix/decay etc than the RM.

I normally have reverb set low and barely noticeable. The HOF with a few tweaks made me appreciate how cool different reverbs and levels of reverb can be. Seems like with the HOF I can have long trails of reverb without washing out the initial sound.

I dont think I will become a reverb junky but this little stomp seems pretty cool for the $$$ and very usable.

 

The TC Flashback is a great little delay. Im getting another one. They will replace the H&K Replex. I dont use a lot of delay and have pretty specific but simple needs and wants from a delay unit. I want 1 repeat with a nice taper at about 250-300ms and then sometimes something similar at about 500-700ms as well. Thats all. No tap.

Up until now the Replex has been the only delay I really liked and the first delay unit that made me want to leave it on all the time. The Flashback gives me a similar feeling though it does lack some of the smoothness/warmth/could actually be fuzziness that the replex had.

The Loop function is a hoot and very easy to use. Its a distraction and I will never use it except as a distraction when Im bored.

 

Both the TC pedals work well either in front of the amp or in the loop. There is no distortion when in the loop like some other delays etc Ive tried to use there.

 

Glad I tried them as Ive now nearly finished the amp, cab, guitar, and effects combination's to a stage where Im sitting back after strumming a G chord and being well pleased with the sound. Thats kind of a big deal for me.

 

For a single repeat and 300 mS, a Deltalab DD1 will work for you.

[JeffB]

 

For a single repeat and 300 mS, a Deltalab DD1 will work for you.

So would the 6 or so other delay stomps I have in the mystic draw of stomp fails and forgotten success's.

[JeffB]

Another cool feature is the divisions. Kinda creates the effect of running two delays to some degree. Sure it has a proper or another use but I could get away with using it like that. I think.

 

Not sure how to make a demo of delay or reverb! I could try but for it to be noticeable it would be in a way I dont really use it so it might not sound as good as the demo's by people who use it in a real trippy or noticeable kind of way all the time.

[DetroitBlues]

So would the 6 or so other delay stomps I have in the mystic draw of stomp fails and forgotten success's.

 

Ah yes, the never ending tone quest.

[JeffB]

 

Ah yes, the never ending tone quest.

Well, yeah, that and if I bothered to learn how to use the ones I have properly I probably wouldnt be getting the next new thing all the time.

[DetroitBlues]

Well, yeah, that and if I bothered to learn how to use the ones I have properly I probably wouldnt be getting the next new thing all the time.

 

I've discovered when money is an issue, you learn real fast how to make do with what you have.

[bobmeyrick]

I popped in to Hot Rox (my local supplier of esoteric guitar accessories) and tried out the Flashback. Of course I don't need another delay pedal, but I was sufficiently impressed that I ended up buying it. It's incredibly versatile, with 2290 (clean digital), analogue, tape, dynamic (ducking delay in Rocktron terms), and modulation settings. However, the clincher for me was the reverse setting, and it also does looping. Reverse is interesting - turn the feedback control right down and you only get the reverse echo, not the original signal. Increase the feedback and you get the dry signal, with more and more echoes, but the echoes alternate between reversed and normal. This, my friends, is fun! Normally I'd use effects only with an electric, but with Michael Hedges' "Spare Change" in the back of my mind, I plugged my Ovation Custom Balladeer into the Flashback and the Flashback into a Boss Loopstation, and from there into my AER Compact 60. Even more fun...

[JeffB]

I over looked the reverse function as a gimmick. I have it on a few other delay units but never really got with it. There are one or two songs we are doing with backwards guitar and I could fake it with this.

At a band rehearsal today I tweaked a little with the delay and thought it stood up to the task really well. Still really liking both these stomps.

[bobmeyrick]

I can see the reverse function can only have limited use in a band context, but for creating soundscapes and just noodling around - brilliant! Mind you I've always been a fan of stuff like this -

 

 

There's also a young British player by the name of Stuart McCallum, who's doing some interesting things with technology -

 

[smurph1]

Recently decided the Fender 60w Super-Sonic was the head Im using for a band Im getting together so I can play electric guitar more regularly again.

It seems to be an amp that doesnt get great reviews but it seems to work well for what I want.

It has no reverb which is actually a blessing in some ways.

I bought home a TC Electronic Hall of Fame and Flashback.

The Hall of Fame (HOF) works well and will replace the TREX Room Mate (RM) which I have been using. That kind of surprised me as I thought the RM was pretty decent sounding....and it is...

The HOF might be a bit more pristine/cleaner sounding than the RM and it is quiter whether in the loop or in the front of the amp. The HOF seems easier to make sound right, ie:level/mix/decay etc than the RM.

I normally have reverb set low and barely noticeable. The HOF with a few tweaks made me appreciate how cool different reverbs and levels of reverb can be. Seems like with the HOF I can have long trails of reverb without washing out the initial sound.

I dont think I will become a reverb junky but this little stomp seems pretty cool for the $$$ and very usable.

 

The TC Flashback is a great little delay. Im getting another one. They will replace the H&K Replex. I dont use a lot of delay and have pretty specific but simple needs and wants from a delay unit. I want 1 repeat with a nice taper at about 250-300ms and then sometimes something similar at about 500-700ms as well. Thats all. No tap.

Up until now the Replex has been the only delay I really liked and the first delay unit that made me want to leave it on all the time. The Flashback gives me a similar feeling though it does lack some of the smoothness/warmth/could actually be fuzziness that the replex had.

The Loop function is a hoot and very easy to use. Its a distraction and I will never use it except as a distraction when Im bored.

 

Both the TC pedals work well either in front of the amp or in the loop. There is no distortion when in the loop like some other delays etc Ive tried to use there.

 

Glad I tried them as Ive now nearly finished the amp, cab, guitar, and effects combination's to a stage where Im sitting back after strumming a G chord and being well pleased with the sound. Thats kind of a big deal for me.

Thanks for the review..I'm like you, I use a bit of reverb but I've never really liked delay too much.. I've always liked a more concentrated, dry sound that cuts through, and to my ears, delay kind of waters it down a bit..But I think if I found a nice analog delay sound i might use it sparingly.. kind of a little spice to the tone so to speak..