Can the Axe-fx handle REAL surf reverb?!

L

Lemurstrat

Member
Aloha fellow surfers!
How well can the Axe-fx handle REAL surf reverb? Music: Dick Dale, Slacktone, Satans Pilgrims etc...
Slacktone - Blast Bolero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0pg4JK9QGw
Review of a fender 63 tube reverb tank unit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSHGeOD8 ... re=related

We are not talking about a gentle transparent spring reverb simulation found on most units.
The referense is of course a Fender 63 tube spring tank (or a Gomez tank or similar). It's a stand alone tank unit that is connected between the guitar and the amp input. It has very unique sound characteristics that produce the magical surf tone.
No stomp pedal on the market come close, but they will do for a live backup.
Even the new Boss frv-1 pedal won't suffice (based on the 63 reverb unit).
The closest and best simulation of a real 63 tank I've ever heard comes from Amplitubes new fender sim.
It's really good and it must have a great algoritm.
So all of you that know how a real 63 reverb unit sounds, can the Axe come close?!
If not, it can obviously be done, so I'm sure Cliff could beat the Amplitube fender sim.
The real fender 63 tube reverb tank is expensive and cumbersome to bring along.
Let me hear your opinions and post soundclips if you have any.

Amplitubes 63 reverb sim sound: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default ... ID=7728405
A forum thread on Surfguitar101.com where the new amplitube sim is debated: http://surfguitar101.com/modules.php?na ... pic&t=8014
Here are some other sound clips I found.
Real 63 Fender tank: http://www.mediafire.com/?ddoenl2tjdn

Reverb sound comparison: real tank, vs, holy grail pedal, vs ,digiverb pedal: http://www.mediafire.com/?zwgwzymbfyy
0:00 Tank
0:38 Holy Grail
1:24 DigVerb
2:14 totally clean (reference)
3:05 Tank+OD
3:50 Holy Grail+OD
4:38 Digiverb+OD
5:40 Tank+HG+DV"
 
Close, but not exactly there imho (sorry Cliff !). I work a lot for and with a Dub producer who's got a few reverb tanks and old analog stuff like that lying around and yes, it sounds different. The Axe is, like I said, close though.
 
And what are you gonna do with the reverb crash, huh? HUH? Will Cliff implement a "Give a kick to Ultra" parameter? :mrgreen:

I have a 63 RI Reverb tank. I like my Ultra, but I can tell you that if I want my surf reverb sounding like a surf reverb, my tank will be in front of it. Some sounds just don't have substitutes in the digital realm.

Same goes for the Echoplex or the echo unit The Atlantics used.
 
Thanks for your input.
The (in)famous "kick the tank" live trick might be a bit over the top for the Axe :mrgreen:
So what do you guys think of the Amplitube sound clip I linked to?
I think it sounds great, best simulation I've heard of a real tube reverb unit.
It would be awesome if Cliff came up with a spring reverb algoritm with the right surf characteristics that is equal or better than that.
If the Axe also becomes known for having a great surf reverb, I'm sure it would boost Axe sales.
It would be interesting to hear a surf clip with the Axe.
 
Thanks for the clips!
The Apache clip was hard to tell, too much delay. The second clip sounds beautiful and controlled, but it's not a raw surf setting or a surf song. Listen to my previous links to hear what I mean with the special character of a reverb tank in a surf song. It's got loads of wetness and drip, more gain and it colors the sound in a special way. Best way to hear the drip is when picking hard and palm muting.
 
Lemurstrat said:
Thanks for the clips!
The Apache clip was hard to tell, too much delay. The second clip sounds beautiful and controlled, but it's not a raw surf setting or a surf song. Listen to my previous links to hear what I mean with the special character of a reverb tank in a surf song. It's got loads of wetness and drip, more gain and it colors the sound in a special way. Best way to hear the drip is when picking hard and palm muting.
Here are some other clips I found.
Fender tank: http://www.mediafire.com/?ddoenl2tjdn

Reverb comparison: tank, vs, holy grail pedal, vs ,digiverb pedal: http://www.mediafire.com/?zwgwzymbfyy
0:00 Tank
0:38 Holy Grail
1:24 DigVerb
2:14 totally clean (reference)
3:05 Tank+OD
3:50 Holy Grail+OD
4:38 Digiverb+OD
5:40 Tank+HG+DV"
Click to expand...

There are 2 types of spring reverb (each w/ small, medium, and large variations)on the Axe-fx. The tame spring reverb and the sproingy vintage reverb. The less tame version is not quite as sitarish as your Amplitube example. I think the amplitude example is over exaggerated. However, if you take the size parameter in the axe-fx you can get the resonate sitarish thing going. I'll do a clip with same riff the guy is doing at the beginning of that amplitude clip.
I think the Axe-fx is better.
 
The Amplitube clip to me sounds like a cartoon version of a spring reverb. Sounds like they're using that old expired patent with the chirp generator.
 
AndrewSimon said:
The best I heard from the AXE-FX:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMBMGstWMwo#

Go to 4:35 for Apache

;)
Click to expand...

Thanks Andrew for the comment.

As someone said before, in fact this is not reverb but rhythmic delay, although the patch includes a little bit of room reverb to give it some 'air'.
We were trying to replicate Hank Marvin's tone in the historic recording of the song. In this clip the delay is OK as regards tempo (toc-x-toc-toc) but, as I say in the video description, the repetitions are a little bit too long.
The video was shot more than one year ago. Meanwhile we've fixed this already and I could say we nailed the tone, feel and echo repeats 99,9%.

Cheers!
 
FractalAudio said:
The Amplitube clip to me sounds like a cartoon version of a spring reverb. Sounds like they're using that old expired patent with the chirp generator.
Click to expand...

Actually, they almost nailed the 63 Reverb tank I have. I'd say they did a pretty job on this one.
 
Anybody got a patch or recommended settings that come somewhat close? A few days ago, I was playing around in the reverb block trying to get the Fender Reverb Tank kind of sound, but didn't have any luck.
 
Lemurstrat said:
Thanks, I would love to hear that!
Try both palm muting and chords using different reverb settings.
Click to expand...


It will be after Thursday. I have to learn 3 new songs by Wednesday.
 
Bluelotus, thanks for sharing! I really like the Night prowler song.
Still, there is a big difference in the sound of a built in spring reverb compared to a stand alone tube spring fender tank
that goes between the guitar and the input of an amp. Listen to my previously posted clips on page 1.
Most spring reverbs sims are more polite sounding compared to a stand alone tank.
So far I think Amplitube come closest to a tank. The character of drip, wetness, decay, eq and gain when playing muted is very important.
 
I intentionally "de-boinged" the Vintage Reverb algorithm because I thought it sounded too cartoonish. It originally sounded a lot like that Amplitube clip but I didn't like it because I thought it was too boingy. So instead of all the virtual springs being the same length I randomized the lengths to get rid of some of the boinginess. The model uses six virtual springs that vary in length.

I suppose I could add a parameter to control the amount of length variation to make it more boingy if desired.
 
FractalAudio said:
I intentionally "de-boinged" the Vintage Reverb algorithm because I thought it sounded too cartoonish.....
Click to expand...

De-boinged......I like it. My new word of the week. ;)
 
Yeah, the Amplitube clip sounds a bit boingy for me, but a variable between boinged and de-boinged would be interesting. But it's on my priority list after an Editor update and the MFC. ;)
 
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