Surfybear compact reverb

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ohm-men
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Surfybear compact reverb

Post by ohm-men » Sun Sep 26, 2021 2:17 am

Just scored one of these in Surf green used.
Was a local sale and I paid a bit above half price what they go new for.
It was hardly used and came with original packaging and box? candy.

I gotta say I'm impressed. Sounds really, really good.
I used to have a 90's Fender RI Reverb unit which I liked and hated at the same time.
Sold it a few years ago. But been lusting for a decent replacement ever since.
I "think" the Surfybear fill this spot :)

I really like the bypass option and the compact has a 2 mix knobs and a switch, very usefull to switch between wet spring reverb and less reverb.
Volume and decay knobs are also very usefull.
I wasn't sure the smaller 3 spring reverb pan would deliver the lush bongy drippy reverb, but it does just that.
Seams very reliable (much more then my Fender Ri reverb unit, which was always way too trebly to my ears and was a pain from time to time to get it to sound right) Although it looks less cool... But I'm not complaining as it works nice with my el cheapo Wish Klon and my Musikding Jordan Bosstone Fuzz clone. Mucho nice for Spagetti Western sounds when paired with a nice tremolo.... :? And when hooked up with the Bass VI.... Heaven.... :-*

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by DeathJag » Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:04 am

Congrats! SB are great!

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by MechaBulletBill » Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:18 am

i really need to get mine put together :fp: :fp: :fp:

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by Singlebladepickup » Sun Sep 26, 2021 5:57 am

I have one that someone built for me in pedal form, which lets me swap tanks. It's probably the last bit of guitar gear I'd ever part with.

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by ludobag1 » Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:34 am

the best available that cost less than a tank ,i have 2 surfy bear diy kit,one in tank format with accutronic pan that i love ,a smaller with a mod pan than i hate (hate mod pan in fact) ,and 63 reissue that i love too (accutronic pan also )
surfy bear is the best package ratio weight sound and my go to play ,i made some effort to bring the real thing but it is heavy then if i need to travel light it stay at home (like my tube amp i play more often with my quilter head)

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by zhivago » Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:27 pm

Cool to hear you guys are liking it...I've been tempted to pick one up for a while...maybe I should take the plunge! 8)
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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by JSett » Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:46 pm

zhivago wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:27 pm
Cool to hear you guys are liking it...I've been tempted to pick one up for a while...maybe I should take the plunge! 8)
I'm the same, been tempted to give one a go for a while. I had a Fender Reissue unit recently and it sounded great but coloured the tone too much for my liking. GAK are blowing some out for about £315 at the moment too :whistle:
Silly Rabbit, don't you know scooped mids are for kids?

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by antisymmetric » Wed Sep 29, 2021 11:04 am

I have the long tank Metal model- (would have bought the kit version and housed the tank separately but they no longer do them). I described it to someone recently as the one pedal I own that's never switched off. 8)
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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by MC5tooge » Wed Oct 06, 2021 11:19 am

Next on my shopping list - but can't make my mind up between the big one or the compact one. The latter will JUST fit on my home made pedal board but I think I'm drawn more to the idea of the big one and a footswitch. Any thoughts?

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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by Surfysonic » Sat Oct 16, 2021 10:40 am

I have 2 SurfyBear Reverb units:

The blonde tolex-covered SurfyBear Classic (think squished Fender Reverb Unit) with no bypass (I use a bypass pedal called the Drip Switch by Alameda Guitars - SurfyBear has the SurfyDrip Switch designed by Alameda Guitars). Not really ideal for the pedalboard but as a stand-alone outboard reverb unit.

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For its footprint on my pedalboard, I went with the SurfyBear Compact and it sounds just as great as my larger Classic, only with more options - 2 mixer, bypass, vol, tone, decay, dwell. If pedalboard space is not a concern, sure, go for the larger SurfyBear Metal. You won't go wrong with any SurfyBear IMHO.

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Image
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Re: Surfybear compact reverb

Post by ohm-men » Sat Oct 16, 2021 10:39 pm

johnnysomersett wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:46 pm
zhivago wrote:
Tue Sep 28, 2021 12:27 pm
Cool to hear you guys are liking it...I've been tempted to pick one up for a while...maybe I should take the plunge! 8)
I'm the same, been tempted to give one a go for a while. I had a Fender Reissue unit recently and it sounded great but coloured the tone too much for my liking. GAK are blowing some out for about £315 at the moment too :whistle:
That's exactly what I like about the Surfy Bear the bypass switch. The Fender unit colours the sound to much for my liking as well. I used to play in Surf bands where it was on all the time, so I didn't matter that much back then.
But nowadays I like to be able to bypass it. The on-off switch of the RI Fender reverb didn't do the same as the the bypass of the Surfy Bear. (could be in my head, I don't know)

Meaby if I ever wanna spent some more cash, I might get a Classic Surfy Bear. But for now, the compact suits my needs perfect :)

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