The Valley is a reverb and delay pedal from Henretta Engineering, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based maker of handmade pedals1. It was brought out in tandem by Henretta Engineering and The Guitar Trader, in the latter's own Asheville, North Carolina2. The pedal combines the two effects in one box, and Pedal of the Day called it "a sweet-sounding, experimental Reverb and Delay pedal... It looks great, it sounds great, it IS great"2.
What it does
The Valley is designed to emulate "the haunting echoes heard in the [Great] Smoky Mountain valleys," according to Delicious Audio's Christopher Scapelliti3. The reverb side is capable of producing small room sounds, big, lush cavernous echoes and everything in between, per Pedal of the Day's review2. The delay time ranges from 10ms up to about 450ms, which the reviewer describes as a classic analog pedal type of range2.
Controls
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Delay Time | Sets the delay time, 10ms to about 450ms2 |
| Delay Repeats | Sets the number of delay repeats4 |
| Delay Level | Sets the delay's level in the mix4 |
| Verb Wet Level | Sets the wet level of the reverb2 |
| Verb Dry Level | Sets the dry level of the reverb2 |
| The Hollar (toggle) | Places the reverb within the delay circuit, so only the delay repeats have reverb on them2 |
Each circuit is separate in The Valley, meaning you can turn the reverb and delay sides on and off individually, or use them together2.
The Hollar switch
The pedal's distinguishing control is a toggle called The Hollar. When engaged, the reverb portion is placed within the delay circuit, so only the delay repeats have reverb on them2. Delicious Audio's Paolo De Gregorio called it the pedal's secret: "a toggle called The Hollar, which applies reverb only to the delay repeats to maintain clarity while providing a wash of echo and reverb underneath your playing"4. For a player, that means your dry picking stays clear while the echoes behind it carry the reverb wash.
The maker
Henretta Engineering is known for its small, powerful, one-button effects pedals, which Pedal of the Day has counted among its favorites over the years5. The Valley is a departure from that one-button format, being a two-effect collaboration pedal, and it sits alongside the maker's other designs such as the Red Brick Delay. For more on the two effect types it combines, see Delay Pedals and Reverb Pedals.
Videos
The Guitar Trader
Pedal of the Day
The Guitar Trader
Questions
Can I use the reverb and delay separately on The Valley?
Yes. Each circuit is separate in The Valley, so you can turn the reverb and delay sides on and off individually, or run them together. The reverb side has its own Verb Wet Level and Verb Dry Level controls, and the delay side has Delay Time, Delay Repeats and Delay Level.
What does the Hollar switch do?
The Hollar is a toggle that places the reverb within the delay circuit, so only the delay repeats have reverb on them. Delicious Audio describes it as applying reverb only to the delay repeats to maintain clarity while providing a wash of echo and reverb underneath your playing.
How long can the delay time go on The Valley?
The delay time ranges from 10ms up to about 450ms, which Pedal of the Day describes as a classic analog pedal type of range. That covers short slapback and room-style echoes through to longer, more pronounced repeats.
Who made The Valley pedal?
The Valley was brought out in tandem by Henretta Engineering and The Guitar Trader, based in Asheville, North Carolina. Henretta Engineering is based in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is known for its small, powerful, one-button effects pedals.
Sources (5)
- Henretta H-Bomb Trembrato Review, Premier Guitar, 2017-09-14
- Henretta Engineering The Valley Reverb Delay, Pedal of the Day, 2020-02-29
- The Best Ambient-Shoegaze Reverb Pedals In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-15
- Best Delay + Reverb Pedal Combos In 2024, Delicious Audio, 2024-11-07
- Henretta Engineering Tremble Tank Tremolo Reverb, Pedal of the Day (www.pedal-of-the-day.com), 2019-06-29
