The Electro-Harmonix Holier Grail is a reverb and gate pedal that expands on the reverb sounds of the Holy Grail, offering eight high-quality reverbs: two of each reverb type, Spring, Hall, Room and Flerb, plus a post-reverb gate and a reverse gate. Electro-Harmonix discontinued it in 2010.1
Eight reverbs and a gate
The Holier Grail's eight modes give two variations of each reverb type. Electro-Harmonix describes the Spring mode as "simply the finest 'spring' reverb available, now with short and long reverb tails", and the Hall mode as a smooth hall reverb tailored to the guitar, now with large and small halls. The Room mode offers damped room sounds that the maker says are perfect for that bathtub reverb effect.1
Beyond the reverbs, the pedal carries the "Golden Gates" part of its design: a post-reverb gate with an adjustable threshold control, and a reverse gate. A gate placed after the reverb lets the reverb tail ring and then cuts it off, which is where the reverse gate effect comes from.1
Where it came from
The Holier Grail belongs to the Holy Grail family, and its story ties back to the original pedal. In January 2026, Josh Scott of JHS Pedals revealed a lost Holy Grail prototype found in the Electro-Harmonix basement while he and Daniel Danger were researching there. The prototype used DIP switches to select its sounds: "what you do have are these dip switches. And so these dip switches are eight different reverb sounds," Josh of JHS Pedals said in the video.2
On the original units, some players found the same trick. As Guitar World reported via Josh Scott, "some people figured out that you could hack it and have eight total sounds via the dip-switches."3 The Holier Grail took that idea of eight reverb sounds and made it the official design. The original Holy Grail was made in the U.S., according to a Vintage Guitar magazine review.4
The Holier Grail was discontinued in 2010, so used units are the only route to one. Later pedals in the family include the Holy Grail Plus, itself discontinued in 2022, which covered spring, hall, flerb and room reverbs15, and the Holy Grail Nano. For a current take on the same territory, Electro-Harmonix's reverb range now runs from the Oceans 11 to the Cathedral and the Holiest Grail.
Holier Grail modes at a glance
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Spring (short and long) | Spring reverb with short or long reverb tails1 |
| Hall (large and small) | Smooth hall reverb tailored to the guitar, in large or small halls1 |
| Room | Damped room sounds, suited to a bathtub reverb effect1 |
| Flerb | Second flerb variation among the eight reverbs1 |
| Gate | Post-reverb gate with adjustable threshold control1 |
| Reverse Gate | Reverse gate effect1 |
Videos
EHX
JRR Shop
Questions
What is the difference between the Holy Grail and the Holier Grail?
The Holier Grail expands on the reverb sounds of the Holy Grail. Where the original offered a smaller set of reverb types, the Holier Grail offers eight high-quality reverbs, with two variations of each reverb type: Spring, Hall, Room and Flerb. It also adds a post-reverb gate with an adjustable threshold control and a reverse gate, making it a reverb and gate pedal rather than a reverb alone.
Is the Electro-Harmonix Holier Grail true bypass?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix lists the Holier Grail as true bypass, so when the pedal is off, your guitar's signal passes through without the reverb circuit loading it.
Is the Holier Grail still made?
No. Electro-Harmonix lists the Holier Grail as discontinued as of 2010. It has since been followed by other Electro-Harmonix reverb pedals in the Holy Grail family and beyond.
What reverb types does the Holier Grail have?
The Holier Grail has eight reverbs, two of each reverb type: Spring, Hall, Room and Flerb. Electro-Harmonix describes the Spring mode as short and long spring tails, the Hall mode as large and small halls, and the Room mode as damped room sounds suited to a bathtub reverb effect. A post-reverb gate and a reverse gate round out the modes.
Does the Holier Grail come with a power supply?
Yes. Electro-Harmonix includes the 18DC-500 power supply with the Holier Grail.
Sources (5)
- Holier Grail, Electro-Harmonix
- I Found The Prototype! (Where The Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb All Started), JHS Pedals (YouTube), 2026-01-26
- Lost EHX Holy Grail prototype found, Guitar World, 2026-01-31
- Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, Vintage Guitar magazine, 2003-04-01
- Holy Grail Plus, Electro-Harmonix (ehx.com)
