OVERVIEW
In this article I’ll be introducing you to the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe, a versatile pedal that contains both an elegant spring reverb and tremolo. Surfy Industries has firmly established itself as an innovator in the guitar pedal market, with a focus on creating the most faithful spring reverbs available. Their SurfyBear Compact Deluxe, is a more recent addition their already impressive lineup, and adds exciting new features to their spring reverb. Specializing in capturing the iconic, lush sound of vintage spring reverb units, Surfy Industries brings a modern twist to the classic design. Spring reverb, a staple of surf music and countless genres, is known for its distinctive, resonant reverberation, produced by sending an audio signal through metal springs. Surfy Industries’ dedication to this sound shines through with their high-quality, feature-rich pedals. The SurfyBear Compact Deluxe truly exemplifies what the company is all about: authenticity, craftsmanship, and innovation.
UNBOXING AND BUILD QUALITY
Opening the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe, it’s immediately clear that Surfy Industries puts serious effort and care into their products. The pedal comes securely packaged, ensuring it reaches you in perfect condition. Once in hand, you can feel the weight of a sturdy, solidly constructed chassis. The knobs are smooth, with a satisfying tactile response that gives you confidence while adjusting settings mid-performance. It’s clear that this is a pedal built to last, designed with both form and function in mind. The overall build is rugged, and you can feel the quality in every turn and click, ready for gigging or studio use.
THE LEGACY OF SPRING REVERB
Spring reverb originated in the 1930s at Bell Labs, where engineers experimented with coiled springs to simulate issues in telephone lines. Laurens Hammond later adapted the concept for his organs, and in 1961, Leo Fender introduced the standalone 6G15 Reverb Unit. By 1963, Fender built spring reverb into the Vibroverb amplifier, revolutionizing guitar tones. Spring reverb works by sending an audio signal through metal springs, creating a vibrant, boingy, and slightly metallic sound that enhances transients. Its affordability and portability made it a staple in amps from Fender, VOX, Marshall, and beyond, shaping the sound of surf rock, country, psychedelia, and more.
The folks at Surfy Industries clearly have a deep respect and passion for the history of guitar and vintage guitar effects, in particular spring reverb, and this is apparent in the design and quality of the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe.
Stratocaster-wielding southpaw Dick Dale, who helped popularize the instrument, as well as the sound of spring reverb.
FEATURES
The SurfyBear Compact Deluxe boasts an impressive array of controls designed to dial in the perfect tremolo and reverb tone, let’s cover them in depth, moving from left to right.
TREMOLO:
PRE/POST: There is a switch that allows the SurfyTrem tremolo to be inserted Pre/Post the reverb, which is a great feature and adds sonic versatility to the pedal overall. This allows you to decide between having the linger of the reverb be unaffected by the tremolo, or have swell of the tremolo applied to the reverb.
BLACK/BROWN: This switch allows you to select between ‘Blackface’ or ‘Brownface’ style tremolos. Black is a volume based tremolo, with Brown serving as a harmonic tremolo. Each have a distinct sound and will work for a variety of genres.
Volume: Controls the overall level feeding into the tremolo, can be cranked to serve as a boost in front of an amp.
Intensity: Controls the amount of amplitude modulation that is applied by the tremolo.
Speed: Controls the rate at which the tremolo cycles. The lovely LED beneath provides a visual indicator of the speed.
REVERB:
Volume: Controls the overall level being fed into the Reverb. Can be turned up to act as a boost.
Mixer 1 / Mixer 2: This allows for 2 separate reverb levels to be accessed. For example, if you want a subtle reverb in a verse, and a wet reverb in the chorus, set the mixer 1 level at perhaps 10 o’ clock, and mixer 2 at 2 o’ clock. Now, when you switch between Mixers, the reverb level will change.
INT/EXT Switches: One of the most fascinating and fun features of this unit is the ability to connect an external spring pan. These are available from a wide range of distributors, including Surfy Industries, and I can’t recommend them enough. You can choose to use an external pan as a secondary reverb, and the INT/EXT switches determine which reverb will be used for which mixer. Very useful!
Tone: Adjusts the high-end frequency of the reverb, from smooth and warm to more shimmering and cutting.
Dwell: Controls the amount of signal being fed into the reverb, thus controlling the reverb’s initial volume, influencing how deep and lush the reverb effect feels.
Decay: Affects the length of the reverb tail, allowing for shorter, more controlled reverbs or longer, ambient washes.
SOUND QUALITY
The sound quality of the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe is stunning. It delivers an incredibly authentic spring reverb sound that closely mirrors vintage tube-driven tanks, but with modern reliability and added features. The rich, immersive reverb envelops your guitar’s tone, from soft and subtle to cavernous and dripping with vintage springy goodness. The lovely tremolo adds versatility, completely leveling up most any amp. I’ve tested it with multiple guitars, but it really shines on my Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster, especially when paired with my ’65 Fender Princeton Reverb. The interaction between the two creates a rich, dynamic, authentically surfy sound that is as pleasing to the ear as it is fun to play. Whether you’re aiming for classic surf tones or more ambient, atmospheric textures, the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe delivers.
The sound quality is matched by the feel. The SurfyBear Compact Deluxe feels lovely, super responsive to pick attack and overall dynamics. It’s a reverb, so the quality what you put into it greatly affects what comes out. SurfyBear spared no expense here, so the better the guitar/amp combo you sandwich it between, the better the overall sound quality. That said, this is a fantastic reverb unit and can be a great addition to anyone’s setup.
Also worth mentioning is how quiet the noise floor of the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe is. Spring reverbs tend to be noisy, adding a bit of hum or buzz when cranked, but the SurfyBear Compact Deluxe is nearly silent.
A VERSATILE STUDIO TOOL
Spring reverb sounds great on a wide variety of sources, not just guitar! As a producer and mixing engineer, I often employ spring reverb to add some vintage character and depth to tracks including drums, percussion, keys, vocals, and more. Usually I ‘reamp’ sources by coming out of my DAW, and into pedals/amps, then re-recording the reverb-ed signal to blend with the original. Sometimes, I wish I could just have the reverb instead of the sound of the reverb and guitar amp, as the amp tends to add a fair amount of harshness. The brilliance of SurfyBear Compact Deluxe is that I can send signals to it, and opt to not feed it into an amplifier, simply harnessing the lush, drippy quality of the reverb without introducing the unwanted brightness of the amplified signal.
AUDIO EXAMPLES
Electric Guitar with and without Reverb:
Electric Guitar with and without Tremolo and Reverb:
Synth with and without Reverb:
Drums Re-amped with Reverb, not Re-amped but with Reverb, and without Reverb:
Suzuki Omnichord with and without Tremolo and Reverb:
SurfyBear Compact Deluxe SUMMARY
In conclusion, the Surfy Industries SurfyBear Compact Deluxe is, without a doubt, one of the sweetest and most fun reverb units I’ve had the pleasure of using. Its authentic sound, solid build quality, and thoughtful features make it the perfect choice for anyone looking to add spring reverb magic to their pedalboard. The ability to connect an external spring pan is the cherry on top, allowing for even greater sonic possibilities. If you’re looking for a top-tier reverb unit that delivers on both the sound and experience, look no further—this is the one.
Additionally, through correspondence with the passionate and helpful Ted at Surfy Industries, it couldn’t be more apparent how seriously the company takes their craft and customer service. It’s refreshing to see a brand dedicated to the legacy of an effect as important and influential as spring reverb, while still updating it for the modern player and producer.
