# REVV G3 Pedal Quick Review



## Carl Kolchak (Jul 3, 2018)

Got my REVV G3 pedal this morning.

Build quality: It feels well-made. The foot and toggle switch operate smoothly, while the tone/volume/gain knobs all rotate consistently. No complaints.

Sound: The first thing I noticed was that I didn't need a noise gate using this pedal. It's VERY quiet. The next thing I noticed was just how useful the low/mid/high tone sweeps are. Usually, you get a single "sweet spot", and that's it. Not here. Here, just about every setting is at least usable.

Price/Value? Hmm... It's expensive for what you're getting, I'll say that. Is it worth it? Depends. Used as a preamp pedal into an IR loader as I'm using it, I don't think you're getting as much as you would with say a Two-Notes Le Lead. Does it sound better than an amp sim? Yes! But it's also sort of sonic "one-trick pony" too. That said, if you like the tones people were getting on some of those better YouTube demo/review vids then I don't think you'll be disappointed. Personally, I think the G3 is better suited to being run through an amp's FX loop than being used as preamp pedal in front of IRs.

Lo-fi sound clip,
https://soundcloud.com/user-602229297/ef-1


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Jul 3, 2018)

Carl Kolchak said:


> Sound: The first thing I noticed was that I didn't need a noise gate using this pedal. It's VERY quiet. The next thing I noticed was just how useful the low/mid/high tone sweeps are. Usually, you get a single "sweet spot", and that's it. Not here. Here, just about every setting is at least usable.



Honestly these are very important things to me and would make it worth the price tag as long as the tones were as good as I heard on Youtube.

I do not really use distortion pedals or "pre amp" pedals but every OD I have used is noisy as all hell and it is mandatory to use a Noise Gate for anything other than bedroom practice.

On top of that the "sweeps" is very good to have as a different room will cause you to need some adjustments usually. At least for me anyway. Sounds like a well thought out and killer pedal.


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## Carl Kolchak (Jul 3, 2018)

Jacksonluvr636 said:


> Honestly these are very important things to me and would make it worth the price tag as long as the tones were as good as I heard on Youtube.
> 
> I do not really use distortion pedals or "pre amp" pedals but every OD I have used is noisy as all hell and it is mandatory to use a Noise Gate for anything other than bedroom practice.
> 
> On top of that the "sweeps" is very good to have as a different room will cause you to need some adjustments usually. At least for me anyway. Sounds like a well thought out and killer pedal.



Considering the amount of gain on tap with this pedal, I'd have thought it would have needed a noise gate to quiet it down, but it doesn't. In fact, my Boss GE-7 EG generates more hiss than this thing.

Also, can't stress highly enough the difference between the tone sweep on this pedal and other distortions. It's really surprising. There's a fair bit of tonal range being covered by the bass/mid/highs, but all of it's usable.

As for the Blue and Red Modes, I liked the Blue with the gain set higher than the Red with the gain set lower. The Red Mode seems a little to thin/scratchy sounding for my tastes, but again still very usable.

So my only real complaint is the price, which I feel is about $50 too much for what you're getting. But the things is you ARE getting a lot.


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## wakjob (Jul 3, 2018)

It could have a faux noise gate in the circuit somewhere...

It's called a "coring circuit".
Just two back-to-back diodes in the signal path.

Thanks for sharing your opinion.
I know you've been through a LOT of pedals and stuff lately.
The fact that you didn't laud over it like it's the end all be all
is assuring.


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## Carl Kolchak (Jul 4, 2018)

I tried using the pedal with some med-high amp sims, and it sounded AWFUL. I ended up using a clean-ish Grind Machine amp sim and one of the original Catharsis cab sims. The results were usable.

What I can also say is that used as a dedicated preamp pedal the G3 sounds a whole lot better than the AMT Marshall/Mesa/VHT I've tried. Costing almost twice the price of a single AMT, does it sound twice as good? Imo, yes. It also blows away the Friedman BE-OD when used again as a dedicated preamp pedal as well. 

Given the fact that the G3 has it's own thing going for it sonically, I don't see this pedal becoming a "flavor-of-the-month". Rather, I see it becoming a sort of niche, albeit an expensive one, pedal for people looking for a certain kind of high-gain response. 

Also, Ola Englund was right when he said you don't need an OD to tighten the pedal up, you don't. It can do extremely tight/quasi-djent to fatter/fuller sounding doom tones.


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## lewis (Jul 4, 2018)

So basically this in the efx loop of a tube amp that you need a more high gain modern sound from is the best use?


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## Bearitone (Jul 4, 2018)

I got my AMT R2 to sound better than my 6505 and i loved that amp. If the revv really sounds twice as good into a poweramp then it must be godly


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## Carl Kolchak (Jul 4, 2018)

kindsage said:


> I got my AMT R2 to sound better than my 6505 and i loved that amp. If the revv really sounds twice as good into a poweramp then it must be godly



Have only used the pedals I've discussed as preamp pedals in front of IRs. Have no idea how this pedal sounds into an actual poweramp/cab.


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## MAJ Meadows SF (Jul 4, 2018)

Carl Kolchak said:


> Have only used the pedals I've discussed as preamp pedals in front of IRs. Have no idea how this pedal sounds into an actual poweramp/cab.


 
I’m gonna find out! Just ordered one!


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Jul 5, 2018)

lewis said:


> So basically this in the efx loop of a tube amp that you need a more high gain modern sound from is the best use?



I do not have the pedal and have never tried this but idk. Definitely worth a try but from what I gather wouldn't this be more of a in front of the amp into the clean channel type of pedal? Doesn't come off to me as an OD or Boost but more of a standalone distortion pedal.


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## USMarine75 (Jul 5, 2018)

You had me until you said it sounded twice as good as AMT.


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## lewis (Jul 5, 2018)

Jacksonluvr636 said:


> I do not have the pedal and have never tried this but idk. Definitely worth a try but from what I gather wouldn't this be more of a in front of the amp into the clean channel type of pedal? Doesn't come off to me as an OD or Boost but more of a standalone distortion pedal.



Was going by Ola Englunds demo.
Thought he used it in the satan efx loop? But may be remebering it wrong haha. So my bad if so.


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## Jacksonluvr636 (Jul 5, 2018)

lewis said:


> Was going by Ola Englunds demo.
> Thought he used it in the satan efx loop? But may be remebering it wrong haha. So my bad if so.



You could be right, I watched the video when it dropped but can't remember. Now I have to go back and watch.

fwiw I think a lot of that depends on your loop and the pedal. Series or paralell and line level vs instrument level pedal.

Everything is worth a try IMO, I just looked at this as a distortion pedal out front but I am probably wrong lol.


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## Bearitone (Jul 5, 2018)

Jacksonluvr636 said:


> I do not have the pedal and have never tried this but idk. Definitely worth a try but from what I gather wouldn't this be more of a in front of the amp into the clean channel type of pedal? Doesn't come off to me as an OD or Boost but more of a standalone distortion pedal.


To me this sounds like a preamp pedal that’s being marketed as a distortion


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## lewstherin006 (Jul 5, 2018)

kindsage said:


> To me this sounds like a preamp pedal that’s being marketed as a distortion


It is 100% a preamp that people are THINKING is a distortion pedal. No where in any of the marketing does it say "distortion pedal." A lot of people keep comparing it to the Precision Drive, but they are two entirely different things.


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## lewis (Jul 5, 2018)

lewstherin006 said:


> It is 100% a preamp that people are THINKING is a distortion pedal. No where in any of the marketing does it say "distortion pedal." A lot of people keep comparing it to the Precision Drive, but they are two entirely different things.



SOOOO that means people could buy both? Haha

Precision drive > Revv G3 > efx loop
Or even the duncan powerstage 170 into a cab. What a great pedal board. Throw the line 6 g10 wireless and whammy DT and we are talking


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