Catalinbread Topanga II: More verb, more surf, more spaghetti
American pedal maker Catalinbread has reissued its Spring Reverb pedal, the Topanga. Is Version II worth splashing out on? How has the recipe for the original pedal been changed? Let’s find out!
Fender 6G15 spring reverb
The external Fender 6G15 spring reverb unit is the sound of surf music, spaghetti western and many other great guitar sounds from the 1960s. One reason for its sonic magic is that it hangs in front of the amp, making the reverb sound more distorted and intense. It was essentially a tube preamp, so the sound was already coloured when it went into the amp.
Catalinbread Topanga II
The Topanga II is inspired by this Fender 6G15. Fans of the first version can breathe a sigh of relief: this update retains the delicious basic sound of an external vintage spring reverb. But a feature has been added to let you use the pedal more flexibly.
Catalinbread Topanga II · Source: Catalinbread
The “+” mode
Those who want more than a trickling echo will get their money’s worth with the “+” mode . A small toggle switch significantly extends the echoing effect of the, er, effect. The reverb is also modulated. The resulting sound is completely dripping, soaking wet.
The decaying reverberation is significantly denser and richer and according to Catalinbread, the other controls are now more interactive, which can lead to adventurous sounds. Pulp Fiction Ahoy!
Everything the same
Otherwise, the Topanga II remains largely similar to its predecessor. The control knob layout has been retained, with Dwell, Tone, Mix and Volume. The latter controls the preamp of the pedal and has enough output to drive the amp into saturation.
You can choose between True Bypass and Buffered Bypass, so that the effect can end in peace. If you prefer more headroom, you are welcome to operate the pedal between 9-18 Volts .
RRP – USD 219
More Information
- Manufacturer’s page
- Product page (affiliate link to old model!)
Video
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