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Author
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Topic: Anybody Not Satisfied With Boss RV-3?
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Chris LeDrew
Member From: Newfoundland, Canada
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posted 11 June 2006 10:55 PM
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I just got one of these pedals on the endorsement of many past threads that praised this unit as being great for steel guitar. After a few gigs, I've gone back to my DD-3. I've tried a bunch of different settings, a few of which I found on past threads. This pedal's reverb and delay are just not pleasant to my ear. I'm slightly disappointed, but happy that I held onto my DD-3 which can deliver a smooth slapback that mimics a nice reverb as well.Anyone here have a similar experience with the RV-3? I would like to hear from those who have tried this pedal and moved on. If you're a fan of the RV-3, I would like to say that I've already tried a hundred combinations; the pedal sounds artificial to me. |
James Martin
Member From: Watford, Herts, United Kingdom
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posted 12 June 2006 12:11 AM
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Hi Chris, I've tried Profex2,Zoom 9030, RV5,and a bunch of other combinations, but,I always go back to the amp reverb of the NV112 with occasional use of the DD3. I consider this to be the perfect combination.I stopped looking for anything better when the 112 arrived on the scene. In a band situation I've found the amp reverb by itself to be plenty good enough for most gigs! |
Jack Stoner
Sysop From: Inverness, Florida
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posted 12 June 2006 02:41 AM
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I don't see what everyone likes about them. I've tried 3 new ones with my guitar and all of them slightly changed the tone, plus there's not enough control of the reverb. I played a friend's setup with an RV3 and found the same thing. I have a DD-5 (digital delay) and it does not change the tone. |
Lee Bartram
Member From: Sparta, Kentucky, USA
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posted 12 June 2006 04:32 AM
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i tried one and it was ok but still not as good to me as the reg reverb and a dd-3 or dd-5 . |
Keith Cordell
Member From: Atlanta
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posted 12 June 2006 05:20 AM
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The Boss reverbs aren't all that great. Check out the Holy Grail by Electro Harmonix. |
Jerry Erickson
Member From: Atlanta,IL 61723
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posted 12 June 2006 05:53 AM
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I tried one out and preferred the Digitech X series reverb pedal over the Boss RV-3. YMMV |
Andy Zynda
Member From: Wisconsin
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posted 12 June 2006 05:58 AM
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I also thought that the RV3 would be the end-all reverb. I hated it. Grainy, and a tone sucker to boot.
I do like the RV5 though. No echo, but the reverb is what it should be.
-andy- |
Bill Moore
Member From: Manchester, Michigan
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posted 12 June 2006 06:30 AM
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I agree, I much prefer the DD-3. If I want to add a little reverb to the delay, I just use the amp reverb. But mostly I use only delay. There is a "tin can" sound with reverb that I don't like. |
Dave Mudgett
Member From: Central Pennsylvania, USA
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posted 12 June 2006 06:46 AM
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I recently tried one - I prefer a tube-driven Accutronics reverb pan or the EH Holy Grail reverb. For my tastes, they made too many compromises stuffing both the reverb and delay in one pedal - there was not enough control of either. I think it's a great concept - those are two effects many use together. I really wanted this to be "the one". But, IMO, they should redesign to give more parameter variation. I think there would be a market for a bit more upscale but really high quality reverb/delay pedal. I can't believe that in this day of VLSI electronics, a good designer can't fit two totally state-of-the-art effects into one small pedal. Still, there was one setting that was a pretty good compromise - I think it's the one most people say they use for both reverb and delay. Of course, these are just my opinions, based on my strong preference for traditional spring reverb sounds. |
Erv Niehaus
Member From: Litchfield, MN, USA
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posted 12 June 2006 07:01 AM
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If you believe in the KISS principle (keep it simple stupid), the RV-3 is a great two-in-one pedal. |
Joe Smith
Member From: Charlotte, NC, USA
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posted 12 June 2006 07:15 AM
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I also have a RV-3 but never use it. For small rooms or where the steel will be miked, I use a Nashville 112 and use the reverb in the amp. Bigger rooms where I need more headroom, I use a Fender Vibrosonic with a JBL D-130 and use the amp's reverb.
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Don Sulesky
Member From: Hernando, Fl. usa
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posted 12 June 2006 07:30 AM
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I purchased one about a year ago and had it out of the box for about 20 minutes and could not get it to sound right. I shipped it back the same day and went back to my DD-5. It does the job and doesn't change the tone of the steel.
Don |
Chris LeDrew
Member From: Newfoundland, Canada
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posted 12 June 2006 07:52 AM
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I'm glad to read that it wasn't only me who found this pedal to produce less-than-quality sounds. I AB'ed the RV-3 and DD-3, and the difference in quality and clarity was astounding. This is the first time a Boss pedal didn't give me what I wanted. I have a Holy Grail, but was hoping the RV-3 would be a solution to lugging around two pedals. (My amp reverb is not great). I think I'm just going to use a long, quiet DD-3 setting that emulates a reverb, seeing that the DD-3 is so clean.Thanks for the input and info on your setups, guys. The RV-3 is in the "for sale" section..........  [This message was edited by Chris LeDrew on 12 June 2006 at 07:55 AM.] |
Darvin Willhoite
Member From: Leander, Tx. USA
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posted 12 June 2006 09:32 AM
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I've heard Buddy Emmons and Ron Elliot both using an RV-3 and they sounded great to me, do you think the RV-3 had anything to do with it? (We all know the tone is in the hands)I have an RV-3 and like it. I always use reverb and a little delay, and I can get both with one pedal. I also have a DD-5 delay pedal that I use when the amp has a decent reverb. Boss stomp boxes sound better than a lot of other brands I've tried. ------------------
Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording
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Joey Ace
Sysop From: Southern Ontario, Canada
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posted 12 June 2006 10:42 AM
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The RV-3 also made Lloyd sound great, when he used it at the ISGC a few years ago. or was it the other way around?  |
Bill Mayville
Member From: N. Las Vegas, NV, USA
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posted 12 June 2006 11:21 AM
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TO Andy Zynde.I was playin around with the RV5 yesterday.Mine has a delay in it.I still feel like I should get rid of it. It doesn't compare with the DD-3 at all.
I wish I knew someone around the Vegas area.I would trade my Session 2000(like new) for a lighter 112 for my incoming Jackson guitar,which is a single neck.I really don't want to ship the 2,000.It's in Exellent condition. Bill |
Morton Kellas
Member From: Chazy, NY, USA 12921
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posted 12 June 2006 11:33 AM
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The RV-3 is a good all around pedal and several players use them. But each to their own. I find the controls a bit touchy. As far as a DD3 not changing the tone, I have one and I find that it as well as ALL Boss pedals color the tone slightly. The DD3 tends to change the tone to the bright side as once stated by Jeff Newman. I do agree that for a portable clean delay unit, the DD3 is hard to beat. |
John Bechtel
Member From: Nashville, Tennessee,U.S.A.
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posted 12 June 2006 11:59 AM
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I had an RV-3 a while back, but; I could never get a good blend of Delay & Reverb with it! So, I sold it. Recently I purchased another, with the intension of patching it in to my Recording~Mixer for playback. However, I plugged it into my amp. to check it out when I got it and I think I've finally figured out how to get the right blend! In the past, I always figured, well, I want to use about 225±ms Delay. So, I would find the spot that matched 225ms from my measureable ms unit and then try to bring in the Reverb to blend, but; the more Reverb I added, the stronger the Delay sound became! Now what I do is choose the MODE of Reverb (w/time~off) that I want to use and adjust the balance. Then with total lack of consideration for ‘how many’ ms, I just adjust the time until I begin to hear it's effect. The ‘number of ms’ is no longer important to me, in the mix. Just concentrate on getting the Reverb first and then adjust the Delay to suit. Whatever ms it is, it is! It works very well for me now, although I still use my Amp. Reverb and an Analog~Delay for my PSG! I think the BOSS RV–3 is an OK~Unit, now! ------------------
“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
Current Equipment
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Jon Light
Member From: Brooklyn, NY
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posted 12 June 2006 12:30 PM
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I don't dislike the RV-3 so much that I won't use it but it is my 2nd or 3rd choice. After amp reverb and/or Holy Grail. I only use it when I absolutely, positively have to economize on space. I don't hate it. But I don't love it. |
Len Amaral
Member From: Rehoboth,MA 02769
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posted 16 June 2006 07:00 AM
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"TO Andy Zynde.I was playin around with the RV5 yesterday.Mine has a delay in it.I still feel like I should get rid of it."
The RV-5 is not a delay pedal but is Reverb only. I use an RV-5, mixed with a bit of the amps reverb, with a DD-3. Sounds good to me.
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Pete Burak
Member From: Portland, OR USA
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posted 16 June 2006 10:13 AM
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The RV-3 kicks arse imho!
This is a set-it and forget-it pedal with tons of options (oxymornon?), again, imho.Are the guys who don't like it running stereo? I got an RV-5 recently (in a buy/sell/trade deal), also.
I really like it for guitar, and also it works great in the Walker Stereo steel stereo effects loop. [This message was edited by Pete Burak on 16 June 2006 at 10:23 AM.]
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mike nolan
Member From: Long Island City, NY USA
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posted 16 June 2006 11:48 AM
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I think that the RV3 sounds great in stereo.... I don't like it much in mono though. |
Jerry Van Hoose
Member From:
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posted 16 June 2006 01:18 PM
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I've noticed that the earlier Boss DD3's as well as the RV3's that were built in Japan don't seem to "color" the tone as much as the later production units which were built in Taiwan. I do know that the delay repeats are somewhat more harsh on the newer (Taiwan)units. I've also been told by an electronic tech that later production Boss units, although cosmetically identical, do have different internal components installed. |
Chris LeDrew
Member From: Newfoundland, Canada
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posted 16 June 2006 01:57 PM
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Interesting point about running it in stereo. I never tried that. Maybe I'll drag along both amps tonight and check it out. Perhaps the separation will sweeten the repeats a bit. |
Jim Sliff
Member From: Hermosa Beach California, USA
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posted 16 June 2006 02:40 PM
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I really dislike the RV-3. It sounds very "electronic" to me....nothing like room, plate or spring reverb.I tend to use a bit of delay more than reverb, but for 'verb it's either spring or the Holy Grail. The Grail is the only non-spring reverb I've found that I really like. |
Bill Simmons
Member From: Keller, Texas, USA
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posted 16 June 2006 03:28 PM
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I'm back to using the amp reverb and my old DD-2 delay and many times now, I'm just using the simple reverb of the amp! In the words of my old friend Johnny Cox..."Bill, just play that thing!" |
CHIP FOSSA
Member From: Monson, MA 01057 U.S.A.
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posted 16 June 2006 06:29 PM
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I have an RV-3. Bought it because of some rages about it here. It's HARSH, to put it mildly. Never could seem to fine tune the sound.Then went and got an EH Holy Grail; also cuz of endorsements here. What a difference!!!! The HG has 3 settings and a volume control, where the RV-3 has a billion combos. The HG comes as close to that classic-fantastic Fender Twin reverb, as a digital unit can get. Music [our kind] is expensive in many ways, and this is one. You really don't know what something sounds like until you buy it, play around with it, and decide. Can get costly. On the + side for the RV-3, it also comes with DELAY, which you may desire. The HG is only reverb. RV-3 with delay is still harsh and blaring. IMHO.[This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 16 June 2006 at 06:37 PM.] [This message was edited by CHIP FOSSA on 16 June 2006 at 06:38 PM.] |
Gerald Menke
Member From: Brooklyn, NY, USA
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posted 19 June 2006 06:26 AM
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I bought an RV-3 in 1995, when I was playing guitar exclusively, but stopped using it not only because the resolution on the reverb seemed very primitive and grainy, but it seemed to "cut" out for a millisecond when you disengaged it, which drove me nuts. This wouldn't be an issue probably with the steel, where it's usually on for the whole set. I do use an RV-5 in my pedalboard and use just a touch of the spring setting, which to my ears is pretty decent. The tone feature is interesting, I have always thought it hearkened back to the days of Fender reverb units which had controls for mix, dwell and tone, I believe. I generally leave the tone at 12 o'clock, which seems to me to be "flat"...Anybody remember the RV-2? It had a very cool (or at least I thought so in 1992) gated reverse verb, that I would like to try on the steel one of these days, but I haven't seen an RV-2 in nearly 15 years. I do remember the reverbs were even grainier in that thing. Nobody ever seems to mention that relic. |
Cartwright Thompson
Member From: Portland, Maine, USA
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posted 19 June 2006 10:03 AM
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I like the RV-2 more than any of the others. They're pretty easy to find used. Much nicer reverb than the 3 or 5. I like 'em more than the Holy Grail and Digitech as well.
If I really care, I'll use a Fender stand alone reverb unit. |
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