The Colortone Spring Reverb II is a reverb pedal from the Australian maker Colortone, built around three recreations of classic reverb units and two independent modulation filters, Vibrato and RotoTrem. RockBoard's PedalPedia describes it as "an expressive, analog voiced, vintage reverb engine hosting 3 versatile recreations of classic Reverb Units together with 2 independent stereo modulation filters - Vibrato and RotoTrem"1. It lists for $199 USD as of December 20232.
The three modes
The modes are selected with an E S T toggle, as Paolo De Gregorio describes at Delicious Audio3. Each mode points at a different piece of reverb history:
| Mode | What it is |
|---|---|
| E (Echoverb) | Based on Princeton's PT2399 single-chip CMOS echo/delay processor, with pronounced delayed reflections and echoes4 |
| S (Studio) | A warm- and natural-sounding studio reverb based on a Nineties-vintage rack unit4 |
| T (Tank) | Seventies-vintage electromechanical reverb with bright, wet acoustic room reflections4 |
So the pedal covers echo-flavored reverb, a neutral studio sound and a spring-tank character in one box, with the BLEND knob setting how much of each sits against your dry signal4.
The controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| BLEND | Adjusts the mix and depth of the reverb effect with the dry signal4 |
| TONE | Tilt EQ-style reverb tone control4 |
| MOD | Depth control for subtle vibrato and the RotoTrem rotary-speaker-tremolo effect, bringing spatial dimensionality to the selected reverb4 |
| E S T toggle | Selects the three modes: Echoverb, Studio and Tank3 |
| Footswitch | An extended tap of about 500ms opens the secondary layer of controls4 |
RotoTrem and the secondary layer
Alongside Vibrato, RotoTrem is one of the pedal's two independent modulation filters3. Premier Guitar describes it as a rotary-speaker-tremolo effect, with the MOD knob acting as its depth control4. Its speed lives on the secondary layer: an extended tap of about 500ms on the footswitch reaches the hidden controls, including the ROTOTREM SPEED OVERRIDE, which sets the master speed for the RotoTrem4.
True bypass is not the default state. It is an option you reach by tapping the fotswitch, so if you want the pedal fully out of the signal path, that tap is where you set it3.
What reviewers said
Stefan Karlsson at Guitar Pedal X, reviewing the pedal in his 2023 roundup of time-based effects, called it a "Super smart Compact Reverb with hidden depths" and found it "sounds phenomenal either way", though he noted it could do with stereo overall2. He also praised the "beautifully etched metal enclosure", a point Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio makes as well3.
Videos
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AndyDemos
Brett Kingman
Questions
Is the Colortone Spring Reverb II analog or digital?
Colortone lists the Spring Reverb II as an analog circuit, describing it as an analog-voiced vintage reverb engine. One of its three modes, Echoverb, is based on the Princeton PT2399, a single-chip CMOS echo and delay processor, so the mode recreations draw on digital chip heritage even though the pedal is voiced and listed as analog.
What power does the Spring Reverb II need?
The Spring Reverb II runs on 9V DC, center negative, and draws 145mA. That current draw is worth checking against your power supply, since a low-output outlet on a daisy chain may not carry it comfortably.
Is the Spring Reverb II true bypass?
Yes, but it is a hidden option. Paolo De Gregorio at Delicious Audio notes that the pedal sports a True Bypass option accessible by tapping the fotswitch, so the pedal is not permanently in buffered mode.
What is RotoTrem on the Spring Reverb II?
RotoTrem is one of the pedal's two independent modulation filters, alongside Vibrato. Premier Guitar describes it as a rotary-speaker-tremolo effect, with the MOD knob acting as its depth control and a secondary ROTOTREM SPEED OVERRIDE control setting the master speed.
Where is the Colortone Spring Reverb II made?
Colortone is an Australian maker. Delicious Audio introduces the Spring Reverb II as hailing from Australia.
How do you reach the secondary controls?
Premier Guitar reports that an extended tap of about 500ms on the footswitch provides access to a secondary layer of controls. These include the ROTOTREM SPEED OVERRIDE, which sets the master speed for the RotoTrem effect.
Sources (4)
- Spring Reverb II by Colortone, RockBoard PedalPedia, 2026
- Guitar Pedal X, Guitar Pedal X, 2023-12-20
- Colortone Spring Reverb II, Delicious Audio, 2022-07-06
- Colortone Introduces Trio of Guitar Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2023-08-23