Should I get Holy Grail Reverb or Vintage AD9 (Ibanez)?

[gwexler3]

So i'm in the market for either a Delay or Reverb pedal. I know the differences between the two, and I'll eventually have one of each, but right now I can only get one. I use a solid state amp, and my signal just sounds too dry with not real "wetness" to it.

That said, I don't know which I would get the most usage out of. Holy Grail is great because it's a subtle effect...it doesn't sound like you are using too much. But on the other hand, the AD9 is more versatile...you can do more things with it. But it still sounds like you're using delay...plus I've never used a delay pedal before and i don't want to sound like a HACK with it.

So anyways, what would you experts recommend? I play guitar in a band with drums, bass, sax, and trumpet. We do funk, jazz, pop, and rock. Sometimes we get "trippy" when we jam, but for the most part we are straight up rockin. And I've definitely got some chops (in case ya'll were wonderin).

 

[The Whiz]

AD9 for sure. I have a love/hate thing with reverb on guitars. Analog delay is always awesome. Subtle or extreme.

 

[blackba]

+1 on the AD9. Nice analog delay. I consider an analog delay much more essential than reverb for what I do. Too much reverb in a live band setting can be a bad thing. Alot of Delay in a live band setting is a cool thing. Go with the delay...

 

[gwexler3]

thanks. i feel like i'll just wait til i get a better amp for that reverb.

 

[gwexler3]

blackba, could you explain why a lot of delay can be a cool thing live? i want to hear it from someone who has used it a lot

 

[[email protected]]

I have to sort of disagree. If I could only have one, I would take a reverbunit, assuming that it is a high quality verb used sparingly, although the ad9, mine is a keeley mod, can sound almost like a reverb if set up that way, but muddier, I think. I think delay or reverb in a live setting can be too mch depending where you're playing. I played a gig one time and shut my whole rack off, because the room itself had so much reverb off the walls

 

[blackba]

blackba, could you explain why a lot of delay can be a cool thing live? i want to hear it from someone who has used it a lot

I am a big U2 fan, and the Edge is known to use alot of delay from him DMM. Its just a cool sound.

I have had a Maxon AD-80 analog delay for years. I just recently got into reverb pedals (although most of my older amps had reverb). I just find for me that delay more of a core effect than reverb.