Electro-Harmonix Holiest Grail Reverb

I don't know why this has been getting such average reviews- this thing is amazing!! Very easy to use and adjust the reverb setting you're looking for. You can save patches and setting and even have two different setting per patch- name any other reverb stomp pedal that does that?! Manual just tells you the basics of what each slide bar does- you shouldn't need more than that.

I use a Epiphone Les Paul->Digitech Digidelay->EH Graphic Fuzz->EH Polychorus->BOSS Gigadelay->EH Holiest Grail->Fender Hot Rod. The Holiest Grail has a clean, bright reverb tone and can get those nice echoey effects by adjusting the time and feedback settings. It's a little too easy to get the infinite reverb setting to fire off, but just don't max out any of the levels and you'll be fine. Adjusting the Dry signal channel keeps your dry sound from drownding out and lets the reverb shine behind it. I play a lot of Spiritualized, MBV, Verve, Slowdive & Shoegazer type music- this pedal is perfect for that set up.

Never had any problems, but as with all EH gear I wouldn't abuse it too much, but they're all pretty easy to repair minor problems...

Never used it.

You're a fool to get any other reverb pedal- this is a classic. You can adjust your reverb just right and get a nice bright shinny sounds and echoes. I think the people who are giving this lower marks either haven't checked out their options or are just made that they had to pay more to get a good reverb sound. BTW, I've gone through them all- I've used a Digitech Digiverb, Holy Grail, Holiest Grail, Line 6 Verbzilla, BOSS RV-6 and a number of other reverb pedals and this one is the cleanest and best sounding!!!

I found it fairly simple and comfortable to use after a few minutes trying out. I like the straight-forward "front panel slide access" when compared to digital LCD-screen button tapping thing. I use this pedal connected to my mixing console as my main reverb unit. It quickly replaced my spring reverb.

The manual was short and simple.

As a main reverb unit for my mixdowns, this box provides me a wonderful variety of stero spaces. I haven't tried so many of the modern digital reverbs but compared to the ones I've come across this has a nice "earthy" feeling to it. I've had no problems with noise, like I had with my NE spring reverb.

It's possible to create HUGE long reverb tails and endless spaces, and also some very useful tight, metallic rooms for use on drums, for example. I doubt I'll ever get bored with this one.

I don't expect this to break down in my studio use, and unless terrible things happen, it should also be able to take some tour abuse. Perhaps the weakest links are the slides which look like they could bend under a fat roadie's boot. So if I was on tour with a fat roadie, I would buy another one for backup or try one of the cheaper Grails for that.

The wallwart weakens its reliability though.

No experience.

For my reggae kind of analog recording and mixing this is exactly what I was hoping for. I've been doing recordings from the year '96 on and am now doing it for living, writing, performing and producing Finnish Reggae:)

It's a fine box and very heartily recommended. Don't know much about the use of it in quitar-player concept though, only studio work.

I had high hopes for this unit. Being a time-based effects junky (delay, reverb, chorus, etc), I thought this would be a godsend. I have experience with rack and software-based units, so I expected more warmth from this. I got one of the first ones, so maybe this one was a dud. It was very cold and almost impossible to get a clean sound out of. It does however have a greater amount of flexibility than I've seen in a pedal-based reverb. The manual was decent, though probably could have been a bit more comprehensive. It's hard to really gauge it's "ease of use" because it took me so long to find a good sound, though I would not let this lie at the fault of the unit's complexity but rather in it's inherent faulty design.

Here's where it gets sticky. I got one sound that was pretty nice, though very low-fi for a reverb. I don't know if that's what this unit was initially made for, and from the manufacturer's descriptions, I'd say not. I used it with a Vox ac-30 handwired edition and an Sg. I tried some surf sounds. Very "platicky plinky" and sounded like I was playing in a tin can. As mentioned before the input gain before clipping is very low and rendered it almost useless for my applications. It was also very noisy. I sent this back after two weeks and got a Digitech Digiverb which is much cleaner, though it has less options. I then sold it when I went semi-rack and got a t.c. electronics m-one xl; close to price to the holiest grail and about 1,000,000,000 x better.

I play in a band that is modern alternative rock with a psychedelic/ambient twist, I've been playing 11 years. I sent it back after two weeks of trying to get a clean/warm sound out of it. I don't understand why EH put this out or how other people can rave about it.

Very straight forward.

The reverb sounds themselves sound very, very cool. I used this pedal extensively last album, to hear it go to *mikepreuss.net* and click on 'it wont be long'. Since I bought it, this pedal has been the core of my sound. I love harold budd, and the idea of super long sustaining reverb, and I wanted his washed out piano sound on guitar. I got it. If you buy this pedal make sure to buy or make an expression pedal to go with it cause its super cool to be taking a lead, and hit a note you like and drop the pedal and listen to it reverb into outer space. I really dig the ambient, piano pedal sounds the pedal can make, however beware of clipping. Also, it creates some of its own noise, which is a big bummer. I would give it a ten, but that spare noise brings it down to a 5 or 6.

Very well built. I trust Electro Harmonix products, and I have gigged on this pedal without a backup.

havent had to deal with them...

Pros:
-Great for ambient/smooth/beatiful sounds
-If you ever liked Eno and Budd stuff, this pedal will make your heart swell with joy.
-Fun with an expression pedal.

Cons:
-noisy

you can hear me play this pedal at www.mikepreuss.net

Very very in depth reverb unit. Takes a lot of tweaking because you can adjust 5 different parameters of the reverb. Just as easy to get a lame sound as a good one. But there are a lot of good osunds to be had in this unit. Saving patches is very easy but since all the controls are controlled with sliders, going back and editing a previous patch after already making another is tricky. The use of midi control for all the the 4 different banks of two different presets is a very nice touch.

I am a bass player so my needs are slightly different. This is definitely the beat all reverb unit. From subtle room reverb to deep halls and bouncy spring reverb, you can do it all. The output mixer allows you to mix the dry and reverb signals along with the excellent spring reverb simulation. Which means you can mix spring reverb into your created preset. The parameters that you have control over are pre-delay, feedback, decay, damping, diffusion (lushness) and then the three sliders for the output mixer. A slider controls the selecting of 4 different banks or if you wish you can use a midi interface to do this. There are 8 total presets which allow you to save and call upon your favorite created sounds. It has stereo capabilities and you can also use this uniy as a midi footcontoller for whatever else you want. What the hell else could you ask for?

It seems to be built very very well, unlike some other EH products. The plastic jacks and nuts may cause some a little concern but not me. This thing seems built to last and has a one year warranty.

Have not had to deal with them but you dont stay in business as long as EH has if you dont stand behind your products.

I got this little gem to satisfy my psychadelic side and I couldnt ask for anything better. Its pricey but worth it, as long as you know what you are doing. Some may not like all the editing options and would prefer a simply knob to control different types of reverb but that is exactly what the Holier Grail is for.